Does this new era of college football reward players who wait patiently for their turn? Georgia’s backup QB Ryan Puglisi has finally decided to ask the very question. With Gunner Stockton locked in until the 2026 season for UGA, Puglisi is choosing to keep his optimism intact.

The UGA backup QB appeared in an interview with Graham Coffey of Dawgs Central on December 31. He was asked whether programs are still trying to poach him and if he will remain loyal to Georgia. Puglisi chimed in quickly, without hesitation. “I don’t want to go anywhere else besides Georgia.” He still expanded on the interest shown by other programs.

“It definitely happens,” Puglisi said about interest from other programs. “But I think I kind of put my foot on the brakes. I think when I continued to say that, they kind of backed off, like, we’re out of the gate.”

A 2024 recruit, Ryan Puglisi’s UGA journey began in 2022, when then UGA OC Todd Monken visited his school, Avon Old Farms, and watched him play. Monken was immediately impressed by Puglisi’s arm talent, and by the time spring arrived, he was visiting Athens extensively. Although the QB also visited Alabama and Ohio State, he eventually committed to Georgia. At that time, he was the first QB commit for the Dawgs since Gunner Stockton. However, as time passed, several incidents prompted him to reconsider his decision to attend UGA.

In May 2023, Georgia landed the commitment of legacy QB Dylan Raiola for their 2024 class. The commitment created potential competition for the QB, and many would have quickly switched camps. Not Puglisi. “He knew Dylan Raiola was probably going to commit to Georgia since March,” Ryan’s high school coach, Jon Wholley, said. “Ryan’s been focused and has a deep-rooted faith that, for whatever reason, this is the place for him to be,” Wholley added.

Even when Todd Monken departed for the Ravens job, Puglisi stayed firm and built a relationship with the new OC, Mike Bobo. Eventually, in December 2023, the Paxton, Massachusetts, native finally enrolled early at the University of Georgia.

“Ryan’s a self-motivated kid… He didn’t flinch at who we were recruiting at that time or who we were recruiting after him. He’s never flinched,” Mike Bobo said of Puglisi’s unwavering loyalty. It’s not like the 6’3″ and 210 lb. redshirt freshman didn’t have any interest from other programs. Ohio State pursued him aggressively when Dylan Raiola committed to UGA.

Alabama reportedly showed interest, and Puglisi even camped there in June 2022, eventually earning an offer. Other programs, such as Indiana, Michigan State, Ole Miss, LSU, and Florida, also followed suit.

“Some schools threw an ungodly amount of money to go,” Wholley said. Yet, Puglisi has stayed firm in Athens since 2022. Now, the QB will be a redshirt sophomore in 2026, and he is waiting for his turn to take over the QB1 job at UGA. Will his dedication pay off? It all depends on Gunner Stockton’s eventual NFL trajectory.

Mike Bobo opens up on Gunner Stockton’s 2026 decision

Puglisi was a 4-star, 10th-ranked QB in the 2024 class. Factor in that he was also a baseball pitcher in high school, clocking speeds north of 93mph. He has drawn elite comparisons for his maturity and handling of recruitment pressure. Everything looks aligned for the UGA backup QB. But Gunner Stockton is still developing his game.

“He’s kinda come out of his shell a little bit, and you’re able to see more of what Gunner Stockton truly is,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said about Georgia’s QB1. “He knows he’s not even close to reaching his ceiling. He can continue to improve. And I know he’s got a bad taste in his mouth about our first opportunity in the playoffs last year,” Bobo added.

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Gunner Stockton is a redshirt junior and has one more year of eligibility left to play college ball. Analyzing Bobo’s words, the UGA QB1 seems to be returning for 2026. That essentially would mean that Puglisi would be a redshirt sophomore and could start only in his junior season. That, too, is still not a guarantee. Kirby Smart could tap into the transfer portal and get a potential replacement for Stockton. Puglisi would need to battle it out pound for pound, and only then would he get the job.

Despite that possibility, Puglisi is trusting Kirby Smart and Mike Bobo. He knows that the job won’t be easy. “There’s always going to be people at Georgia that you’re going to compete with,” the QB said. Yet, the fact of the moment is that he is staying loyal to Georgia when many would have jumped ship. That loyalty alone should be the biggest factor to give him the job in 2027.