If you know Kirby Smart, you know he bleeds football — grit, grind, and discipline. That’s why Georgia football stays on top of the SEC. But at SEC Media Days, the Bulldogs’ HC didn’t just talk about X’s and O’s. The game’s changing and he knows it. He peeled back the curtain on what he calls college football’s growing challenge, a cultural and roster reality check that even the 2x National Championship HC couldn’t ignore anymore. 

In his conversation live from SEC Media Days presented by Locked on SEC on July 19, Kirby Smart got real on CFB’s challenge regarding depth retention. “Yeah, I don’t know about three, but two, I mean, it’s harder than it’s ever been before,”  he said, referencing the idea of having three-deep at every position. “You’re trying to stack them up, have them in line, and as we all know, in the SEC, it’s so brutal. You could lose one any time, and you got to have a second guy ready, and that’s been a challenge in recent years.” And he’s not bluffing. The Bulldogs may have one of the top recruiting classes in the country, but the roster’s undergoing a seismic shift. 

Georgia’s 2026 class is sitting at No. 2 in the nation with 30 commits, including 5-star QB Jared Curtis and TE Kaiden Prothro. They even added 4-star safety Tyriq Green to boost their recruiting class. But the Bulldogs aren’t bulletproof. Texas just swiped two 5-stars in DL James Johnson and LB Tyler Atkinson straight from under Kirby Smart’s nose. Then there’s that situation last season where Derrek Cooper decommitted after committing with the Bulldogs for five days.

Now, coming to the 2025 setting, gone are the seasoned COVID-era warhorses. In their place enters fresh faces, raw talent in a youth movement. “There’s youthful excitement and some nerves with youthfulness,” Kirby Smart said. “We’re coming off a team that was probably one of my most experienced, and going into one of my teams that’s probably the youngest. So, weird transition.” Per his words, 54% of their roster is first or second-year players. So, there’s cautious optimism heading into the season. And then there’s the internal wake up call, one that came last December when QB Carson Beck went down, and Gunner Stockton had to step in under the lights.

Kirby Smart is confident in Gunner Stockton

Kirby Smart brought the fourth-year QB Gunner Stockton to Media Days not just as a show of confidence, but as a message. Georgia’s QB room is loaded, but it’s this guy who earned the right to lead the huddle this fall for now. And that trust was forged last December when he came off the bench in the SEC Championship Game and pulled off a 22-19 OT miracle over Texas. The Bulldogs ultimately lost in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame though. But the HC understands. “I think it was the defense he’s going against was a very unique defense,” he said. “They were a hardcore man-to-man team. They don’t give you many easy throws.”

Gunner Stockton still showed up. Facing a relentless, man-heavy Notre Dame defense, he didn’t flinch even when Georgia couldn’t run the ball to save their lives. He completed 20-of-32 passes for 234 yards and one TD. So now, heading into 2025, Kirby Smart can’t help but feel optimistic about him. “Gunner’s one of the leaders of our team. You saw that in response last year when he came in after halftime (of the SECCG) and laid it on the line for our team,” he said. “Gunner’s been a tremendous passion and energy guy, and I’m excited to see him grow and get better.”

Heading into fall camp, Gunner Stockton holds the QB1 mantle, calm and composed. But Kirby Smart made it clear that nothing is promised. Ryan Puglisi is lurking, and the leash isn’t long. Still, the fact that he represented Georgia at Media Days says a lot.