Quarterback Gunner Stockton found plenty of success in his first season leading the Georgia Bulldogs, winning the SEC and going to the College Football Playoff. Now, he’s looking to get the Bulldogs back to national championship contention, but to do that, he’ll have to overcome an offseason injury.
This spring, Stockton has been seen wearing a sleeve on his knee. It’s part of how he’s managing what head coach Kirby Smart has described as a “little” injury. Recently, Smart met with the media for a press conference, sharing the latest on Stockton’s health.
“He’s great, he’s practicing,” Smart said. “He had a little offseason injury in our workouts, but he’s fine now. He was limited a little bit the first couple of days, but he’s out there competing and doing a good job, focusing on things he needs to improve on and competing with those other guys. I’ve been really pleased with Gunner.”
It’s a positive update, both that Stockton was able to practice again and that he is no longer limited, as he had been at the start of practice this Spring. Still, the offseason is a marathon, so the Bulldogs will need to be careful he doesn’t re-aggravate anything in the meantime.
Stockton is the clear starting quarterback at Georgia. Still, behind him, there’s plenty of talent. That notably includes backup Ryan Puglisi. Now a redshirt sophomore, he’s a former four-star recruit, according to On3. Meanwhile, redshirt freshman Ryan Montgomery has also seen brief game action.
Gunner Stockton Was Vital to the Georgia Bulldogs in 2025
GettyGeorgia quarterback Gunner Stockton
Gunner Stockton took over for the previous starting quarterback, Carson Beck, halfway through the SEC Championship Game in 2024, following an injury to Beck. He would then lead Georgia to that season’s College Football Playoff, where the Bulldogs fell to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Stockton had originally come to Georgia as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, according to On3. A native of Tiger, Georgia, he has long since been popular as a homegrown talent. That goes back to the success he had in high school at Rabun County.
The job wasn’t inherently Stockton’s going into the 2025 season, even with Beck transferring out to the Miami Hurricanes. Eventually, however, he did land the job, and quickly found success as the starter. In 2025, he completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 462 yards and another 10 touchdowns. That came in 14 games. Notably, his 10 rushing touchdowns led the team, which was the first time since 1942 that a quarterback led the Bulldogs in rushing touchdowns.
As a team, Georgia went 12-2 and won the SEC with Stockton under center. That was good for the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. However, for the second season in a row, the Bulldogs went to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans after a bye, only to get eliminated in their first Playoff game.
Expectations Are High for Georgia in 2026
GettyGeorgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart
Kirby Smart set an incredibly high bar for himself at Georgia. That’s what happens when you win back-to-back national championships. However, he hasn’t gotten the Bulldogs back to those heights since 2022. That isn’t to say that Georgia hasn’t been excellent, but now it’s time to get back to that championship level.
Georgia has now failed to win a Playoff game since it expanded to a 12-team field. That has coincided with the expansion of NIL, revenue sharing, and the continued use of the Transfer Portal. In a way, Smart needs to prove he can win in this era and not just the twilight of college sports before mass player movement.
One key way Georgia has been hurt by the Transfer Portal is that it’s cost the Bulldogs their depth. Starter-quality players aren’t as common to find on the bench in Athens. Those players have moved on to their SEC rivals. So, staying healthy is going to be vital for the Bulldogs. That, of course, starts with Gunner Stockton.
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