Kirby Smart knows he can trust Gunner Stockton. Georgia’s quarterback was called into the spotlight during last year’s SEC championship game, when then-starting quarterback, Carson Beck, suffered a season-ending injury midway through the encounter with the Texas Longhorns.
Up until that point, the Bulldogs’ offense had seemed sluggish, and Stockton brought new life to it, leading them on three scoring drives and turning a three-point deficit that had Texas leading 6-3 at halftime.
Kirby Smart’s Georgia went on to win the encounter 22-19 in overtime under Stockton’s leadership.
Smart took some time during the SEC media days to praise Gunner Stockton for his resilience during last year’s championship game.
“You just don’t ever know when your number is going to be called,” Kirby Smart said at the 2025 SEC Kickoff. “The one thing that I really appreciate about Gunner, and most quarterbacks, is he prepared every game as if he was the starter. And people can say that and say this, coach speak, but he actually did it. He went in, watched extra tape, and he knew that, at any point in time, he could be called on that to go in the game and play.”
Kirby Smart especially praises Stockton for thriving in such a complicated situation, replacing a starter midway through a conference championship game, while being down on the score and playing one of the best defenses in the nation. A masterclass on how to handle a high-stress situation.
Stockton threw for 71 yards, with one interception during the game. It wasn’t as much his exploding contribution as his ability to properly manage a top offensive unit. The other hero of the day was running back Trevor Etienne, who ran for 94 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns on 16 carries.
Kirby Smart on what Georgia Bulldogs need to improve for the 2025 season
Kirby Smart knows that the Georgia Bulldogs need to improve their running game for 2025. Last year, the Bulldogs ranked a measly 102nd in rushing yards in the nation, 124.4 yards per game.
Smart addressed the concerns with the rushing game, on both sides of the ball, during the SEC media days, telling the press:
“We have to be better at running the ball game, better at stopping the run. But that all comes with whom you play,” Smart said. “I tell people all the time, if we play three academy schools on defense, we’re going to not lead the league in rushing because they’re going to rush the ball on you. If you play the top five rushing defenses out of 15 games, you’re going struggle to run the ball.”
In Georgia’s defense, they played six of the top 50 rushing defenses in the country last year. Going into 2025, they also face another problem. They lost their best running back, Trevor Etienne, to the NFL Draft. Etienne was a fourth-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
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