Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton established himself as a top quarterback last season after succeeding Carson Beck as the Bulldogs’ QB1. Stockton has been limited during spring practice due to a knee injury sustained during the offseason, but he is Georgia’s presumed starter next season.
During Thursday’s segment of the “89” podcast, Steve Smith Sr. revealed his disgruntlement with Stockton’s quarterback play last season and how it stifles Georgia’s wide receivers.
Steve Smith Sr. Blasts Gunner Stockton’s Georgia Performances
“I am really perplexed, confused, delusional and just straight up frustrated watching his film, because let’s just get right down to it, I don’t know the young man’s name and I don’t want to. Because the way I watched him play quarterback, hell, I’m irritated just watching him. Goodness gracious. The quarterback play from the Georgia Bulldogs is awful.
“As a wide receiver, I’m going on strike. I’m not running a route until I get a better quarterback and holla at your boy because I’m out of here. He should be in the portal yesterday.”
With Stockton under center last season, Georgia registered a lower explosive pass rate; however, his passer rating (150.6) ranked among the conference leaders.
Head coach Kirby Smart’s team posted an SEC-best 77.59% red-zone touchdown percentage and ranked No. 5 in the conference in third-down conversion rate (43.65%). Next season, Stockton will have to work with several new wide receivers after the Bulldogs lost contributors Dillon Bell and Zachariah Branch to the NFL Draft.
Josh Pate Defends Beleaguered Stockton
During this week’s segment of the “Josh Pate College Football Show,” analyst Josh Pate defended Stockton’s polarizing perception in college football, adding a caveat about the quarterback’s performances next season.
“Gunner Stockton has top-10 Heisman odds. Last season, got knocked all over the place and never tapped out. Pound for pound, the toughest player that we saw in the country last year,” Pate said. “If I were to get the same Gunner Stockton from last year, I would grant you there’s a pretty low margin for error.”
In his first season as a starter, Stockton led the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship Game win and an appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff field. He earned a PFSN College QB Impact score of 88.0 after tallying 2,894 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions, while adding 462 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.
