At Georgia, the bar isn’t just high—it’s national championship or bust. And while the 2024 season brought an SEC title, it didn’t bring the trophy Bulldogs fans really wanted. Right in the middle of it all? Their former starting quarterback, Carson Beck. Beck’s 2024 season was all over the place. While he did lead the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship, his performance wasn’t nearly as sharp as the year before. His accuracy dipped, decision-making got sloppy, and those 12 interceptions were tough to overlook. Then came the elbow injury during the SEC title game—a blow that ended his season early and eventually led to his transfer to Miami. But even after his departure, Beck’s name still lingers in the Georgia locker room.

Former Georgia quarterback and current analyst Aaron Murray recently voiced concerns about Beck’s behavior off the field. Speaking with JD PicKell, Murray didn’t hold back. He brought up Beck’s maturity—or lack thereof—and how that might’ve caused tension inside the team.

“There wasn’t this guy that was a true locker room guy,” Murray said bluntly. He pointed out a “disconnect” between Beck and his teammates, hinting that backup QB Gunner Stockton might’ve had more buy-in from the squad. “Guys kind of rallied around Gunner Stockton. They had a little bit more of belief in him as maybe person, just a human being.” Beyond the field, Beck’s social media antics and rumored relationship drama weren’t helping either. “It’s too much mess. It’s too much for a guy that’s going to be 23, 24 years old. I need you focusing on football,” Murray added.

That’s where Ryan Kerley of Dawg Post came in with a deeper dive. On the June 2nd episode of UGA Football on Dawg Post, Kerley echoed Murray’s take—but took it even further. Kerley didn’t sugarcoat the whispers he’d heard. “He [Murray] immediately follows up with this quote, ‘I’m not saying that Carson Beck is this bad, evil person and that you should stay away from him, but there are some possible character flaws that you heard about from the locker room.’ Right, so, he’s saying that there were murmurs out of the Georgia locker room—that there were issues with Carson Beck, that there was a disconnect with Carson Beck—and that can negatively impact a team. 100%, that can negatively impact a team.”

Those are strong words. And Kerley wasn’t just speculating—he backed it up with how the team responded to Gunner Stockton.

Kerley explained the emotional connection the Georgia players seemed to have with Stockton. He drew a comparison from basketball: that moment when a bench player finally scores, and the whole team goes nuts with excitement. That’s what it looked like with Gunner.

“If you’ve played sports before and you understand. I’ve been a bench player before, and have you ever been a bench player on a basketball team? When you go out there and get a bucket, people get really excited for you. That’s a really good feeling as the bench player—that your teammates, that your coaches, are instilling confidence in you. When Carson Beck gets hurt in the SEC Championship game—a huge game with a trophy and a playoff bye on the line—and you’ve got Gunner Stockton going out there, who hasn’t played any significant minutes or snaps, excuse me, in his college football career, never started a game, all that… it’s your responsibility as a team to lift the guy up, to help him. Tate Ratledge talked about that a lot. Trevor Etienne talked about that a lot after that game and heading into the Sugar Bowl, just how much trust and love they had for Gunner Stockton,” Kerley added.

This Georgia team genuinely loves Gunner Stockton, and it’s more than simply rallying behind a QB. His three years with the Bulldogs have clearly deepened those bonds. So, while Beck may have had the tools, Stockton now has the trust to run the offense. That kind of team chemistry isn’t built overnight, and you can’t fake it.

It wasn’t just the players hyping up Stockton—head coach Kirby Smart was all in too. While the media buzzed about Carson Beck’s future, Smart was busy grooming Gunner for the spotlight.

Kirby Smart on Gunner Stockton

During spring camp, Smart laid out his expectations loud and clear. He wants leaders who know the playbook inside and out, who grind in practice, and who elevate the team with their presence. And according to Smart, Stockton fits that mold to a tee.

“If we had 11 Gunner Stocktons out there on the field or 22 Gunner Stocktons, I would feel much better about where my team’s at.” That’s not just coach-speak. That’s serious praise coming from one of the most demanding head coaches in college football. It shows just how much Stockton has earned Smart’s respect—not just for his talent, but for his preparation, mindset, and maturity.

Smart still credited Beck for his past contributions. After all, Beck did help Georgia win an SEC title, and they went undefeated in the 2023 regular season. His stats that year were among the best Georgia has seen in a while. But things took a turn once distractions entered the picture, and it seems like that off-field noise caught up with him.

Now, with Beck gone, the torch has officially been passed. Stockton is stepping into the starting QB role with the season opener against Marshall looming large on August 30th. He’s got the trust of his teammates, the backing of his coaches, and the full attention of the fanbase. But more importantly, he’s got the chance to prove that chemistry, leadership, and quiet confidence matter just as much as raw arm talent. Gunner Stockton’s time isn’t just coming—it’s here.