Where Could Georgia QB Gunner Stockton Regress This Season?

Where could Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton potentially regress this upcoming season?

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is heading into his second season as the starter for the Bulldogs. Last season, he helped lead the program to an 11-1 regular season record, a conference title, and a College Football Playoff appearance.

While it was a solid first year in the starting role for Stockton, there were also some noticeable areas in which Stockton needed to improve this offseason. Downfield passing, pocket presence and layering the football, just to name a few. Some of which he showed progress in during the season.

With Stockton entering his season as the starter, the fair expectation is that he will take some type of step forward. After all, Stockton went three years without seeing the field on Saturdays outside of some mop-up duty reps late in the game, so it's fair to assume he will show some signs of development this year.

There is also a chance for Stockton to potentially regress in some areas in which he excelled last season. That's not to say it's a guarantee that Stockton will take a step back somewhere in his game, but there's certainly a chance it happens, especially when he considers how great he was in certain areas of the game.

Could Gunner Stockton Potentially Regress Somewhere in His Game?

Apr 18, 2026; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) passes the ball during the Georgia Spring football game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For example, Stockton was one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the sport last season. When the lights shined brightest in the fourth quarter, Stockton was dialed in. In fact, he had the highest completion rate in the country in the fourth quarter among quarterbacks, with an 83 percent completion rate.

Considering how great he was in those moments last season, it wouldn't be too crazy to say he maybe isn't as good in crunch time this season.

Another example would be turnovers. Stockton threw just five interceptions last season and was great at protecting the football. However, some would say that Stockton was too cautious with the ball last season.

If Georgia wants to have a more explosive passing attack this season and Stockton is pushing the ball downfield more this year, that could lead to him having more turnovers than he did a season ago. With that said, most Georgia fans would likely take the trade-off of Stockton having two or three more interceptions this season if it means the Bulldogs are more explosive through the air.

To reiterate, this is not to say that Stockton will for sure show signs of regression in his game this season. In fact, it's more likely he takes steps forward. But it's certainly a possibility and if Stockton matches that with improvement in other areas of his game, it likely wouldn't lead to the Bulldogs being worse off at the position than they were a season ago.

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