The Georgia Bulldogs have built a reputation as one of college football’s elite programs, with national championships in 2021 and 2022 cementing their dominance. At the heart of those titles was Stetson Bennett, a quarterback whose grit and determination became legendary in Athens.
As the 2025 season draws near, Gunnar Stockton steps into the spotlight as Georgia’s starting quarterback, sparking debates about his ability to lead the Bulldogs back to the top.
On3 analyst J.D. PicKell, in his latest podcast, offers a fresh take on Stockton, suggesting that the focus on his prowess misses the bigger picture. He argues that Georgia’s success hinges on the quarterback and the team’s overall execution, particularly in the run game.
The Misconception About Quarterback Impact at Georgia
In college football, the quarterback often becomes the focal point of championship discussions, especially for a program like Georgia with sky-high expectations. PicKell challenges this narrative.
“I think the conversations become a little bit warped around him because the easy math that people do in this time of the year in the college football world is well Georgia they expect to play for a national championship, right? Great, what’s the most important position in college football? Quarterback,” PicKell said.
“So then we sort of push ourselves, maybe unknowingly at times, into this question of, ‘Hey, is Gunnar Stockton good enough to take Georgia there? Is Gunnar Stockton the guy to get Georgia back to winning national championships?’ And while the question isn’t unfair, I just think it’s incomplete a little bit.”
This perspective oversimplifies Georgia’s formula for success, historically relying on a balanced attack rather than a single standout performer. Georgia’s run game was a cornerstone during their championship seasons, averaging 251.9 yards per game in 2021 and 295.8 yards per game in 2022.
In contrast, the 2023 season saw a drop in yards per game, coinciding with struggles to maintain their dominant form. PicKell reinforces this.
“What kept Georgia from accomplishing what Georgia likes to accomplish is the same formula that allowed Georgia to win national championships,” PicKell said.
“The run game in both of Georgia’s national championship years back to back, they ran for right around 200 yards. Last year, Georgia didn’t even sniff 150 throughout the course of the year when it comes to yards per game on the ground.”
This shift forced Beck, the 2023 starter, to take on a larger role, throwing over 400 yards against Mississippi State and five touchdowns against Georgia Tech to secure wins.
While Beck’s efforts were impressive, they highlighted a deviation from Georgia’s winning blueprint. The quarterback’s job has never been carrying the team alone but complementing a punishing ground attack. Viewing Stockton solely through the lens of championship potential ignores this critical team dynamic.
Stockton brings a different flavor to the quarterback position, defined by toughness and resilience rather than flair. PicKell captures this vividly.
“Seeing him get murdered on the field against Texas, lose his helmet, decapitated, and we’re like, “Is he okay? (He) walks off the field. Cool, he’s good. Eat off the floor, to me, doesn’t really sound like Lambos, doesn’t really sound like TikTok, (and) doesn’t really sound like Flash. That was kind of Carson Beck, wasn’t it?” PicKell said.
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The “eat off the floor” ethos, a phrase emblazoned on Georgia t-shirts, reflects the program’s physical, no-nonsense identity, and Stockton embodies it.
His performance against Texas, where he took a brutal hit yet continued to lead, underscores this grit. That resilience has fostered a palpable unity within the team, contrasting with Beck’s tenure.
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