Kirby Smart’s Georgia Draws Former Player’s Surprise Response After Gunner Stockton Stance Clarified

You could almost feel it in the air at Sanford Stadium on August 30, 2025: Georgia wasn’t just winning but scripting a statement. The No. 5 Bulldogs opened their season with a commanding 45–7 win over Marshall, with a sell-out crowd of 93,033 bearing witness. They piled up 488 yards of total offense—249 through the air, 239 on the ground—while holding Marshall to just 207 yards and seven first downs.

Gunner Stockton was the engine: 190 passing yards with two scores and 73 rushing yards with two more touchdowns. That balanced dominance offered a glimpse of something more, a feeling that the offense was awakening. Georgia’s 24-0 halftime lead and 32-game home win streak extension felt like a promise of more to come. But what’s fueling this offensive spark?

David Pollack, former Georgia All-American, broke down the Dawgs’ performance on his podcast, See Ball Get Ball. Pollack said, “They wanted to get back to establishing the line of scrimmage, ground and pound, and I saw a quarterback that played in the game and pulled the rock at the correct times and then on fourth and short ran a speed option.” He praised Stockton’s decision-making and the offense’s physicality, noting it’s “starting in a better spot than it was a year ago.”

Gunner Stockton may be new to the starting gig, but he has had its taste. Famously, in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame. In Carson Beck’s absence, Stockton led the offense, but unfortunately, the Dawgs were booted out by Notre Dame. Ahead of the 2025 season, there was genuine hype around several other SEC QBs. The likes of Garrett Nussmeier and Arch Manning got their flowers, but Gunner’s name was missing. Who’d have thought that he’d have a better outing than both of them, albeit against a weaker opponent?

Last year, too often, we saw the offense struggling. Some of it was due to the QB play, but the O-line and the receivers didn’t help either. As a result, Kirby Smart was forced to get WRs from the portal, and one of them proved the decision right. Pollack highlighted USC transfer Zachariah Branch’s explosive 47-yard check-down catch, saying, “That s***** can fly,” and emphasized the receiving corps’ improvement: “Multiple guys now that are catching it and not dropping it.” With 2024’s passing game ranked 79th nationally in yards per completion, this newfound reliability is huge. Can Georgia sustain this momentum?

Pollack’s optimism isn’t blind; he sees growth potential. Despite Marshall’s 74 new players limiting their challenge, Georgia’s balanced attack, with Nate Frazier’s rushing and Stockton’s versatility, signals a return to form. As the Dawgs face Austin Peay next, will this offensive revival carry the momentum forward before they hit the SEC schedule?

Kirby Smart hails Gunner Stockton’s ‘efficient’ rout of Marshall

Coach Kirby Smart, known for his measured words, didn’t hold back when asked about Stockton’s day. Smart summed it up: “Proud.” That single word captured Stockton’s poise, from evading sacks to making sharp reads on run-pass options. But what does it really mean for Georgia’s new QB1?

Smart elaborated, saying, “Proud of Gunner. Great leader, great competitor. Just does it the right way. Got us out of some negative plays. Had too many times that we could have been sacked, that he escaped. He took care of the ball well, made good decisions, made good reads on his pulls. Continues to distribute the ball and did a nice job.”

Stockton’s ability to distribute the ball and avoid turnovers set the tone for a 24-0 halftime lead. With SEC giants like Alabama looming, can Stockton’s efficiency carry the Dawgs to another title run?