By Cort Street | @cort_street
Sports Capital Journalism Program
NEW ORLEANS — Gunner Stockton was all smiles as he faced the media before the Bulldogs’ College Football Playoff Quarterfinal in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. To the onlooker, it would be easy to assume he did not have a care in the world, that he was a veteran who had been in this moment a hundred times before. His actual journey to this moment in the spotlight, though, was anything but the serene picture that Stockton painted from his podium.
Just over three weeks ago, Stockton was thrust into action in the Bulldogs’ most pivotal moment of the season. When veteran quarterback Carson Beck went down with a right elbow injury at the end of the first half of the Southeastern Conference Championship game, one that would soon require season-ending surgery, the college football world seemed to come to a screeching halt. Was this the end of the Bulldogs’ National Championship hopes? How could they recover from the loss of their key veteran leader on offense?
On the Georgia sideline, there was a very different perspective on the injury – an outlook of unconditional belief in the inexperienced yet confident redshirt sophomore waiting in the wings. Stockton proved them right with a gritty, season-defining performance that gave the Bulldogs an overtime conference championship victory over Texas and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. Stockton completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception. The performance may have been best defined by one play in particular.
With the Bulldogs trailing 19-16 in overtime, on second down with 8 yards to go from the Texas 13, Stockton scrambled out of the pocket and took off toward the end zone. The tenacious playmaker lowered his shoulder pad at the end of the run, meeting Longhorns’ safety Andrew Mukuba for a jarring tackle that sent Stockton’s helmet flying. Somehow, he held onto the ball for a critical first down, and the run set up the game-winning touchdown from running back Trevor Etienne on the next play.
The play, and his performance overall, left a deep-rooted impression on his teammates and coaches.
“He didn’t play the first half of the game, but he got in like it was natural,” Etienne said. “And then that hit he took, that’s just one example. He got right back up and was trying to get back in. It shows how much the game means to him.”
Linebacker Smael Mondon Jr. added, “He embodies the characteristics of resilience, toughness, tenacity, composure. We know how capable he is of being our quarterback and our leader, and how much confidence that we have in him to come in and play well and get the job done. We have the ultimate confidence.”
Stockton’s determined SEC Championship performance showed the world the toughness that his teammates knew he possessed for so long. But it has been his behind-the-scenes characteristics that have truly inspired his team to have complete confidence as the new leader of the offense.
“Gunner has a lovable trait that everybody wants to do well for him,” said Georgia coach Kirby Smart. “Everybody sees the humility he goes about his work with. He’s not a big talker. He doesn’t expect you to recognize him or acknowledge him as the guy that’s doing extra work. He just does it. He embodies what a great teammate is.”
While Beck thrived in the limelight as the center of the Georgia offense for the last two years, Stockton flourished in the shadows, building a reputation of modesty and a willingness to put in the work that did not go unnoticed by his peers.
Veteran tight end Oscar Delp knew Stockton’s moment was coming. “He’s a baller,” Delp said. “We’ve been doing it since he got here freshman year and it’s nothing new to us, it’s just new to the fans. We’re excited to have him out there with us leading us through this game.”
Of all the characteristics that were highlighted from the testimonies of Stockton’s coaches and teammates, one stood out above the rest: his genuine, down-to-earth nature.
“Gunner is laid back, like a simple dude,” emphasized Mondon Jr. “He says ‘Hey, what’s up?’ to everybody. Even if you aren’t in his position, he will come and talk to you. He’s a cool, friendly person on and off the field.”
It has been his authenticity and genuine kindness that has earned the respect of his teammates, a respect that Smart believes has paid off on the field.
“All the players play harder for him,” Smart said. “‘Do you make the players around you better?’ is what you look for in a quarterback. I think he raises the skill level of everybody around him because of who he is.”
The Bulldogs have every reason to feel uncertain about their national championship hopes as their postseason officially gets underway Wednesday night. But with Stockton at the helm, the resounding message is one of unwavering confidence and belief as a result of the reputation Stockton built from the day he set foot on campus.
