Gunner Stockton Entering Important 2024 Spring Practice
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Georgia football quarterback Gunner Stockton is entering an important stage of his career during spring practice this year.
The Georgia football program is set to start Spring practice this week. This is always an important time of year for teams to get a better idea of the outlook of the roster for the upcoming season and an early look at some of the incoming freshmen. One position that the Bulldogs won't be searching for answers when regarding who the starter will be is at quarterback with the return of Carson Beck, but it will still be a very important time of year for the players behind Beck. Specifically for Gunner Stockton.
While the Bulldogs regained Beck for another season as the program's starter, they also lost Brock Vandargiff to the transfer portal, which in return moved Stockton up another peg on the depth chart. He now enters spring practice as the unofficial second-string quarterback, and while he may not necessarily be in contention for the starting job, this spring will serve as a very important step in his college career.
Stockton was able to get some live reps during the Orange Bowl against Florida State, but outside of that, his in-game experience has been very limited, as is the case for the majority of reserve quarterbacks. However, now that he has moved up a spot don't the depth chart, Stockton will be allotted a good portion of reps this spring.
Dec 30, 2023; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) rushes the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half in the 2023 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned before, Stockton may not necessarily be competing for the starting spot this offseason, but he is competing for a hold on the depth chart for not only the 2024 season but for the 2025 season as well.
The college football playoff will expand to 12 teams this season and Georgia will certainly be in contention for one of those spots. With that comes an extended season for playoff-caliber teams which in return increases the importance of depth on college football rosters. Whether Stockton's number is called due to injury or simply to let Beck step out of the game, this year's spring session will be an important time for Stockton to prove he is ready to take on a greater load at the position.
Building off of that, spring practice will also be a massive window of opportunity for Stockton to prove he is ready to take over the offense in the future. It may not be this season but when the 2025 season rolls around next year, all eyes will be pointed at Stockton as the name to step in as the program's next starter. When Stetson Bennett officially made his departure from Georgia, everyone knew Beck was next in line. A successful off-season of development would Stockton in that same conversation and would leave the roster in better hands when Beck eventually declares for the NFL.
So while Stockton's reign as a college starter may not be in the near future, his college success story begins this spring. An opportunity for him to gain even more confidence from his peers and in himself as well. Head coach Kirby Smart has managed to build a roster that is built for longevity and Stockton will be one of the key pillars in making sure that foundation sticks over the next couple of seasons. And for those reasons, any positive news coming out of the Gunner Stockton camp this spring should be music to Dawg fans' ears.
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