Risin’ up, back on the street. Took my time, took my chances.

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We are now at the 3rd of our 4 Key Questions for Georgia’s Season. And this one could be the most important of all.

Question 3: Can Gunner Level Up?

There is no one who can criticize Gunner Stockton’s heart, his toughness, or his love for Georgia. He was a heavily recruited QB out of Rabun County, a true duel threat, and he’s developed his passing skills quite a bit since arriving in Athens. He waited his turn as Stetson and Carson held the reins at QB1 and then turned a magic trick beating Texas in the SEC Championship game in 2024. We all had the highest of hopes.

Last year, he started slowly, partially because his OL was inexperienced and injured early, then had to work through inconsistencies before developing late in the year. He was harassed and started seeing ghosts, leaving the pocket when he didn’t need to and missing open receivers downfield. He also had some amazing performances, like at Tennessee, and Ole Maid and Texas at home. He improved his elongated delivery and heavy elbow. But the inconsistencies were draining for fans because we always expect development to be linear. It rarely is.

This year, he’s got no competition for the starting job again, his OL is miles better than last year, his RBs should be improved, his TEs are (as a group) the best in the sport, and his defense should be giving him the ball back more frequently and in better spots. His WRs should be pretty good at a minimum, but likely a downgrade from last year. He has packed on some lbs and worked hard all offseason. So, will we get a more consistently good product out of him, or will the WRs impede that production? Will he trust the pocket more, keep his eyes downfield when he scrambles, and improve his accuracy? Will he slide a few more times instead of taking so many hits? Or will none of that be as relevant as we think because Kirby intends to RTDB 50 times per game? (Not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that. Whatever works, amirite?)

41 thoughts on “Risin’ up, back on the street. Took my time, took my chances.”

  1. It’s hard to determine if the downfield passing gap is due to gunner, bobo or both. My fear is gunner improves getting the ball downfield only to have the WRs drop the ball.

  2. I know they are different people, but Gunnar’s progression could be similar to Stetson’s in that this is only his true second year starting, and if we recall, Stetson something to be desired after 2020 and didn’t really completely see the matrix until Indianapolis in 2021. He then put on a show in 2022.
    I think the Gun show begins this year and we really see him come into his own for all the reasons you mentioned above but most importantly for his confidence. I’ll be there on Saturday to watch the opening act!

    • That’s my lean as well, B2B. Just need a couple pass catchers to surface for him.

  5. Did Gunner leave some plays on the field last year? Yes.

    Did he make plays in a couple of games we could have easily lost? Yes.

    Did he take care of the ball for much of the season and obeyed the first rule of quarterbacking – Do no harm? Yes.

    Do I think he is likely to be better this year over last? Yes (I have no inside information on that).

    Can he be All-SEC first team this year? Absolutely. Will he? We’ll see.

    • Yeah, I asked the Google lady to compare Gunner to Carson’s final UGA year. I’d say Gunner at least held his own, if not provided more value that Carson. That said, I think Gunner improves just because of his second year in the system.

      Statistic Stockton (2025) Beck (2024)
      Passing Yards 2,894 3,485
      Passing TDs 24 28
      Interceptions 5 12
      Completion % 70% 64.7%
      Rushing Yards 462 71
      Rushing TDs 10 1

      In 2024, we averaged 405.4 ypg and 6.0 ypp. In 2025, we averaged 402.4 ypg and 5.6 ypp.

  6. Unless we have some good WRs, it will be hard to say how good Gunner is or can be. Playcalling will also determine how we perceive Gunner’s skillset. Are we calling 15 screen passes a game? Does Bobo trust the WR group? Does Gunner? Does Gunner see the field better instead of having a run-first mentality? Are we going to be a run-first offense and, can we survive like that? Lots of questions that won’t be answered Saturday as I expect that we will RTDB a lot to see if we can impose our will on an outmatched opponent and if our OL and RBs are as good as we think they are.

    • I think screens were used so much due to Branch and Cash being so good at executing them. Both are gone, so we’ll see what Bobo will scheme up with this group.

      • Not to mention all that lateral movement can really help wear down a defense over the course of a game, even if its just in 5-8 yard increments…..

  7. It seems Gunner is being instructed to take more risks and push the ball downfield. Does that mean Kirby feels better that the defense can handle the extra turnovers or that he knows Cash Money Man Jones isn’t here to bail out the offense with screens. Ok the Branch guy helped a little too. The offense has to create more explosive plays. Or get really good against a ten man front.

    The limited reporting I’ve seen says the WR group has struggled at times to catch and is not getting separation in practice. If it takes 13 personnel I don’t care. Find a combination that works for Gunner.
    I’m so ready for talking to end and watching begin. I can mute them all if needed to enjoy watching.

    To those going Saturday stay thirsty my friends!

  8. Gunner doesnt have the wheels, agility, or touch that Stetson has. I don’t think we are going to see a world beater at QB this year. Probably get us back to the show and maybe pull off a win, but I don’t see a prolific offense with Gunner at the helm. Better than last year should probably be the expectation ceiling. But who knows. I trashed Stetson all the time while he won 2 nattys.

    • I do think it says something that he barely participated in scrimmages this year. Maybe he won’t be invited to NYC, but I can definitely see him becoming a more consistent player.

  9. He will be as good as our OC lets him be. Our OC will be as good as his QB lets him be. Let’s hope that’s good enough for both. I don’t expect much different from Gunner passing but his game command will keep improving. I expect a team that plays contain with outside pressure and cornerbacks who can jam our receivers at the line will present the biggest problem. If we use the TEs and Humphries in the slot we can overcome that. Improved OL and RB by committee should result in some 4th Q Kirby-boa suffocating drives. Bet the unders!

  10. My primary hope is that he stops taking so many hard shots. Superman dives over the corner of the end zone are fine, but I want to see him slide more at the end of runs and stay healthy now and for his health long term. That said, he loves laying the wood on people, so….

  11. Sadly, Lil Stet and Matrix Bowers ain’t walking through the door to make Bobo look like Fraud Monken.

    I don’t know if it’s a level up issue, but can Gunnar be Jake Fromm? Lean on the Defense and Run Game and run Flood Zones on one side of the field and only require 2 or 3 Arm talent throws a game with play action sprinkled in. Historically, Bobo QBs make a big jump in their second season, unfortunately Pasty Somali Carson Beck’s floor was so high, it was hard to see improvement and we’ve sorta forgotten. Bobo was a miracle worker with Joe Cox, so maybe Gunnar only needs to be a haffa dozen plays better a game, right? He’s under a 5th yr center, with a pretty experienced line, and we might be seeing a 3 headed monster at RB. Additionally, a TE room that creates match up challenges.

    Two things: I don’t care how physically tough Gunnar is – QB toughness doesn’t seem to tip the difference enough AND if a TE is sposed to be a QBs best friend, the fact Gunnar wasn’t on the same page with his roommate New Orleans Saints great Oscar Delp last season seems bothersome.

    #GoDawgs

    • Agree on Bobo’s second year starter improvements, but usually those have been QBs earlier in their careers. Not sure how much improvement he’s gotten out of 4th or 5th year guys (Carson Beck as an example, as you noted). But Gunner seems to want to actually improve, so hopefully we see that. As for toughness not mattering, I don’t think we win the SEC championship in 2024 without his toughness.

      • “I don’t think we win the SEC championship in 2024 without his toughness” I like it! The toughest training camp in years will be the extra 1% we need and possibly in a play we don’t even notice!

      • Beck had the worst Georgia run game in years in 2024. That led to some of the turnovers and, because of the necessity to throw, the drops.

        I would be worried if Gunner had a similar run game this year. I think we are going to be able to be balanced. Run or pass based on our wishes not our limitations.

  12. I don’t see us getting where we want to go (semi’s or further) without improved QB play. I’m expecting year 2 improvement, seeing and getting the ball to open receivers. Ease up on taking the big hits–we all know he’s a tough guy.

  13. I think Gunner has a lot going for him. I heard whispers of Bobo loosening the reigns a bit. When they finally did that with Stetson (and Im not sure there was ever full trust until the 22 season), we all know what happened. While I think they are completely different QBs in a lot of ways, there is something to be said for the QB who has earned more trust of the OC.

    Additionally, he has shown the ability to rise to the occasion on more than one instance. Any QB who has that in them has my vote. I think this guy has ultimate confidence in his ability and a tough mental attitude and that is something a winning team needs. Skilled QBs with nothing upstairs and no heart are everywhere. This dude is cut from a different cloth.

    Lastly, the team around him is more veteran than last year. That will go a long way. Although the WRs, to your point, may not surpass the unit from last year. They will find a way to replace Branch “in the aggregate” as Billy Bean once said. And MAN, WHAT AN AWESOME GROUP OF TEs Bobo has to break out some crayons with. It should be a great year to use that position group to its fullest potential and then some. The G Day hand off to #23 tells me all I need to know.

  14. Improvement to whatever degree as a second year starter should be apparent. Hopefully he’ll be a lot better than just serviceable.
    Not necessarily meant to be a Bobo criticism but as much as they promote player development it’s hard to be convinced that’s evident with the QB’s overall. It’s concerning that, as far as we know, one or two backups haven’t made more of a leap. Is this indicative that overall QB development (including 5th year Gunner) doesn’t progress quite as well as it could? Guess we’ll see.

    • Technically 50% of 5-star QBs never pan out, and the numbers go down from there with lower rated guys. So, Bobo could have just missed on a couple of these guys. Or, he just missed on Puglisi, and Montgomery is still green (missing year 1 with an ACL tear). Bobo has a good history of QB development, including Gunner. I’ll never criticize him in that department. Sometimes the guys just can’t cut it.

    • David Greene, DJ Shockley, Matt Stafford, Aaron Murray and Hutson Mason all say “Hi”!

      • My comments were in reference to the 2026 group of QB’s which are the only ones that currently matter for the upcoming season. Pretty sure any of those from 12 or more years ago have exhausted their eligibility.
        Again, not pro or anti Bobo, just hope we’ll hear or see something promising regarding some of the backups.

  15. The o line will be improved and have more depth if they can stay healthy, but if Earnest Greene goes down with an injury like he often does I’m not sure about the LT position. Gaston might be able to hold that spot down, but being good at guard and RT doesn’t necessarily translate to LT.

    Given the practice reports I’ve read I’ll be surprised if the WR’s are anything better than decent. I’ve seen CJ Wiley projected as low as third string and I’ve also seen Talyn Taylor listed behind London Humphries on projected depth charts. I like Humphries, but he’s had less than 20 receptions in each of the last 2 seasons, if Taylor can’t surpass a guy like that then he’s not a game changing player.

    RB’s and TE’s have more depth and talent than they’ll be able to use so that’s not much of a concern. I really like Gunner as a qb. He’s tough, he’s not flashy, he’s probably not an NFL qb, but he’s the kind of guy you can win championships with in college. The problem is, Bobo will once again be the guy navigating the offense through the season, and this will be one of the more questionable wide receiver rooms he’s ever had. Once the postseason hits and he reverts to the standard “No Show Bobo” we’ll inevitably wind up wasting another championship caliber defense while somebody else hoists the championship trophy.

  16. One, will the OL finally live up to its talent level.
    Two, will the RB’s stay healthy and be dominant.
    Three, will the WR’s, or at least some of them, play at or near their talent level.
    Four, will the TE room develop and more importantly, will Bobo use them.
    Five, will Bobo finally call plays aggressively on consistent basis.
    Six, will Gunner actually take a step forward in being able to read the defense and make the proper decisions on the right receiver.

    All of these things have to happen in order for Gunner to step up.

    Hope reigns eternal.

  17. Anyone hate-watching the nerds? Colorado is running it down their throats.

    BTW, I only recognize Colorado as the 1990 National Champion.

  18. Sorry for my accidental double click on tomorrow’s post. It will be back up in the morning!

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