Gunner Stockton has big advantage in one key area in fight for Bulldogs QB

But a reading between the lines shows that Stockton has a massive leg up in this competition. One that will be incredibly hard for Puglisi to make up.

Puglisi missed most of last spring as he dealt with a knee injury. He did not participate in the G-Day scrimmage.

Stockton, meanwhile, is going through his fourth spring practice. He’s one of only seven players on the Georgia team to be in their fourth spring with the Bulldogs.

And while he has only one career start to his name, all those practice reps add up to a sizable advantage.

“He understands what we’re trying to do,” Smart said. “He’s been through it. I mean, I think about if we had all Gunners at every position. They understand the volume of reps, what we’re trying to do. He knows the offense inside and out. Then I get frustrated and impatient when other guys don’t know it like him and you have to kind of slow yourself down and say, wait a second, this guy’s going through, and I don’t know if this is third or fourth. I don’t know if they’re right, maybe it’s fourth.

“I mean, it’s just, it’s a youthful team, and it shows itself in a lot of ways.”

Smart’s remarks about it being a young team have become a consistent talking point this spring. There are far more players like Puglisi than there are like Stockton.

Which makes his past experience all the bigger advantage for Stockton.

“It’s a different role, but more of a leadership aspect,” Stockton said. “I mean, everybody, you’re leading every day, but just that position and being able to take command and just lead the right way and be me.”

In terms of first-team offensive experience, Stockton has only a six-quarter edge on Puglisi. That makes Stockton far from a proven entity.

Stockton, though, has seen all the twists and turns the quarterback position might have to offer. He had already enrolled in school when Stetson Bennett elected to return and JT Daniels transferred out.

He backed up Carson Beck through the entirety of the latter’s starting career. Watching Beck navigate last season — warts and all — Stockton picked up a few things from the now-Miami quarterback.

“I think there’s a lot of good things from Carson,” Stockton said. “I watched last night, I’ve been working on getting my footwork and everything honed in, and he has really good footwork. And there’s stuff like that. The way he really processed information really well.”

The biggest challenge for Stockton this spring clearly has been on the leadership side of things. While Puglisi is busy trying to master the playbook, Stockton is learning the ins and outs of his teammates.

Stockton isn’t the most verbose player on the team. He’s not going to yell about the inches Georgia needs or even share what it means to be perfect.

But he is someone who Georgia players, young and old, clearly respond to. In part because they understand all the work he has put in over the years he has remained with the Georgia football program.

“He’s just always happy,” linebacker Chris Cole said. “I love being around him. He always has a smile on his face. I think he was the first guy I talked to when I got here. I didn’t know anyone. Gunner is a great guy. I love him.”

The quarterback battle is far from over, despite the big lead Stockton possesses at the moment.

He knows that Georgia is built on competition. Stockton acquired that understanding over his time in Athens, often watching from the sideline while waiting his turn to start in Sanford Stadium.

One that will, in all likelihood, be coming very soon.

“That’s the thing about Georgia. I mean, there’s gonna be good competition everywhere, and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Stockton said. “Ryan’s a great guy and he’s a great player.”