Aight, let’s set the stage real quick. Georgia just wrapped up the Carson Beck era, and man dipped straight to Miami for a fat $4 million bag. That left the Bulldogs with Gunner Stockton — the small-town, no-nonsense baller from Rabun County — as the next in line. But here’s the twist: folks inside the program are whispering that Coach Kirby Smart ain’t just handing him the keys like it’s a Chick-fil-A drive-thru. Why? Because Gunner’s as quiet as a library on Christmas, and in the world of SEC football, sometimes you gotta talk that talk just as much as you walk that walk. And now, with Ryan Puglisi lurking in the wings, the QB1 throne might not be as secure as we thought.

A Georgia insider hopped on to UGA football on Dawg Post podcast on March 4 and put it plain: “Kirby’s not just handing the keys over to Gunner Stockton, and going with that progression very well. I myself, other media members, other fans, right, we could be wrong and there might not be an actual quarterback competition, but the history tells us that there is.” Translation? Just because Stockton’s been waiting his turn doesn’t mean the job is his by default. The insider, along with other media members and fans, ain’t convinced there’s no real competition.

See, Gunner and Ryan Puglisi are two completely different quarterbacks. Puglisi? Dude’s polished, got the “media training” down, and answers questions like he’s reading straight out of a coach’s handbook. “Ryan Puglisi gave me a couple minutes of his time, and I got to know the young man a little bit, just a little bit, and kind of get an idea for his mentality. He’s a guy that has all the right answers. He’s a guy who, to an extent, uses coach speak when he’s talking. He sounds like one of the coaches. He’s trying to make sure he says the right thing. He’s trying to make sure that he says the right thing for the Georgia football program.” the insider said. In other words, he’s the corporate, clean-cut type who knows when to say what.

And Gunner Stockon? He is the ‘opposite’. That boy keeps it country. “Stockton is quiet, right? He’s just a good old country boy from Rabun County. That’s just who he is. He’s driving the old pickup truck. He just doesn’t have that much to say.” Now, Kirby loves a tough, gritty QB under center, but in a QB room where leadership is crucial, being an introvert might not be doing Gunner any favors. Does Ryan Puglisi have a shot here? Let’s talk SEC title game.

Let’s rewind to the SEC Championship Game, the moment that had every Georgia fan sweating bullets. Stockton was ballin’ out, leading the Dawgs in OT against Texas. Down three, inside the 12-yard line, Kirby dialed up a QB draw. Stockton hit the gas, got to the four-yard line, and bam! — Texas safety Andrew Mukuba hit him so hard, that his helmet took flight like it had somewhere better to be. No targeting call, no sympathy, just raw SEC football. Gunner had to come out for a play, and for a hot second, it looked like Ryan Puglisi might step in for the biggest moment of the season.

Puglisi, for his part, was locked in. “I was thinking, ‘Hope Gunner’s good, but if my number is called, I’m ready,’” he said to insider during the meet and greet session when asked what was going through his head during that split second between Gunner Stockon’s hit. That’s coach-speak 101, but it’s also what coaches wanna hear. But, Stockton shook off the hit, but you best believe that moment stuck in Kirby’s head. When push comes to shove, does he roll with the introverted bulldozer or the vocal field general? That’s the million-dollar question heading into the offseason.

Texas Longhorns safety Andrew Mukuba recalls his monster hit on Gunner Stockton

Fast forward to the NFL Combine, where Andrew Mukuba was chopping it up with the media. Naturally, the SEC Championship hit came up. The Longhorns Safety gave flowers to Gunner Stockton: “I was surprised he got up… Props to him.” That’s just cold. But let’s be real — Mukuba hit Stockton with the kind of shot that would put him on the stretcher, and if there was any doubt about Stockton’s toughness, he erased it that night. The problem? Toughness alone won’t win you the Georgia starting job.

Stockton’s got the skills, no doubt. But Puglisi? He’s got that vocal presence coaches love. And history shows Kirby Smart ain’t afraid to shake things up if he sees a better long-term option. Look, Stetson Bennett wasn’t even supposed to be “the guy” back in the day, but he took control and never let go and won 2 natty for Kirby Smart and Georgia. That’s the kind of energy Kirby’s looking for. Right now, Stockton’s got the edge, but don’t think for a second Puglisi ain’t coming for his spot.

So, what’s the move? If Stockton wants to lock this job down, he better start running that huddle like a general. Georgia doesn’t care if you’re the strong silent type — you gotta take command, or they’ll find someone who will. The QB battle’s on, and with Kirby Smart calling the shots, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. Strap in, Dawg fans — this one’s about to get spicy.