Following Carson Beck’s surprising transfer to Miami, Georgia swiftly begins its search for a new quarterback. Now, that’s not that easy. Beck leaves behind a massive shadow over 3,941 yards in 2023, followed by 3,485 passing yards the next season. Though he was never quite able to recreate something extraordinary like Stetson Bennett’s fireworks back in 2022, he helped the Dawgs win the championship title against TCU (a 65-7 rout). Now, a new chapter begins, and Gunner Stockton takes the reins, with J.D. PicKell firmly endorsing him as the starter. See, Georgia chases greatness, not ghosts, but does Gunner have it in him?

Carson Beck’s Georgia stint got cut short after he suffered a season-ending right elbow injury against the Longhorns. Enter Gunner Stockton, who didn’t just hold up the charge of the team but also showed how to hold up a firm game against Notre Dame. We all know how hard it is to move the ball against Marcus Freeman‘s man-to-man defense, but it was Gunner who tried and did it. Completing 20 out of 32 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown. They sure couldn’t win that game, but Kirby Smart got his trusted ally that night.

And On3’s J.D. PicKell knows exactly why he is rooting for Gunner Stockton. “Like, I watched Gunner Stockton in that game against Notre Dame, and I said, ‘Okay’ for the context that we had where he rolls in without having started a football game. ‘Hey kid, best of luck. You got a college football playoff game against one of the best secondaries in college football.'” PicKell said. “Gunner Stockton threw for more yards than anybody in the college football playoff, including Will Howard and Drew Allar against that Notre Dame defense. On top of that, he threw for almost as many yards as anybody else outside of Jayden Maiava against that Notre Dame secondary. Period. So I think for me, the thing is like, how much better are the weapons?”

Now, J.D. PicKell isn’t wrong when he says it depends more on Georgia’s WR troops. Look, last year they led the nation in drops with 36 drops, which sure made things worse for Carson Beck. Just look at his stats in 2023; his interception rate was 1.4% with 9.5 yards per attempt, and cut to the next season, it rose to a 2.7% interception rate with YPA dropping to 7.8. And that’s not something Kirby Smart can repeat with Gunner Stockton this season. And J.D. PicKell is trusting Zachariah Branch for this.

“I do not envy anybody that was in that wide receiver room on Sunday afternoons when they were watching the tape back and had to listen to Kirby Smart walk in that room and then say, Hey, it’s unacceptable. Zachariah Branch, a former five-star guy, is transferring from USC to Georgia. I am so stoked to see how they use him. He’s a guy that you just get the football to and let him work.” This guy can sure turn Georgia’s fate. He’s got the skills, and his stats prove it. Last season, he recorded 47 receptions for 503 yards for a TD. So, he might be Gunner Stockton’s go-to guy this year.

The best part is that Branch already has strong faith in Gunner’s caliber. “I just saw that he came in that SEC Championship game, and he did his thing,” Branch said. “So, I saw that, and I was like, okay. I watched him throughout the practices when I came up here on the visit, and I just saw his work ethic and his fire in practice. You know, that’s something that caught my eye as well.” But despite all this, the ghost of the past isn’t leaving Kirby Smart and his team anytime soon.

Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs get an ultimatum

Kirby Smart has transformed Georgia into a prolific NFL talent pipeline. Thirteen Bulldogs were drafted in 2025, nearing the program’s record of fifteen in 2022. This success isn’t luck; it reflects a strong system, winning culture, and high standards – hallmarks of sustained excellence.

Teams like the Detroit Lions now aggressively pursue Georgia players. Yet, despite recent draft successes, concerns linger about the team’s identity. Analyst Josh Pate recently offered a sobering assessment of Georgia’s upcoming season, tempering the preseason hype. “Georgia just sent 13 guys to the NFL draft. They couldn’t run the ball last year. So, that’s the identity. That’s like a non-starter,” Pate said bluntly. “If you tell me Georgia can’t run the ball, I don’t really think Georgia can do a whole heck of a lot in the national championship picture.”

He hit the nail right on the head. Georgia’s 2024 ground game was a complete failure. The team’s rushing stats were the worst of the millennium, a difficult blow to a program known for its strong running game and dominance in the trenches. Thus, it’s only natural for fans and analysts to wonder if his signature punch will be back in 2025.

Pate continued to swing. “So, is that back? They went and got the kid out of Illinois in the portal. Is the ability to control the game running the ball back?” Pate asked. “I love the addition at the edge position, but just getting their identity back. They weren’t all that great defensively last year either. Running the ball, playing solid defense. I just expect that with Georgia. So, can I expect that this upcoming year? I don’t know.”

Then came the worst part. Georgia’s early schedule doesn’t allow them time to find their footing. “They open against Marshall, so it’s not like opening against Clemson last year, but that schedule ramps up pretty quick. They play Tennessee and Alabama in their first four games.” Now, let’s just wait and see if Kirby Smart could actually tackle this situation and give Georgia a championship run or not!