ATHENS — Saturday was special for Gunner Stockton.
Regardless of how he played, he started in Sanford Stadium for the first time in his Georgia career. For the Tiger, Georgia native, it mattered to him that he took over as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
“It felt different,” Stockton said on Saturday. “Running out as a starter is a lot different from hoping you’ll get in. But I enjoyed everything about it. Glad today went the way it did.”
It helped that Stockton showed off his dual-threat abilities, albeit against an overmatched opponent in Marshall. Stockton scored four touchdowns, two rushing and two passing, as he powered Georgia to a 45-7 win over Marshall.
In Stockton’s first career start in Sanford Stadium, he came away a winner.
“Proud of Gunner. Great leader, great competitor,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Just does it the right way. Got us out of some negative plays. Had too many times that we could have been sacked, that he escaped. He took care of the ball well, made good decisions, made good reads on his pulls. Continues to distribute the ball and did a nice job.”
Marshall either did not seem prepared or believe that Stockton was capable of making plays with his legs. But on Georgia’s opening drive, he kept a speed option to pick up 14 yards and convert a fourth down.
On the next drive, Stockton pulled the ball on a read option to scamper in for 13 yards and put Georgia up 14-0. Stockton scored again, on a read option, for Georgia’s third touchdown.
In total, Stockton carried the ball 10 times for 73 yards and two touchdowns. That might seem high — and likely unsustainable against an SEC slate — but Smart approved of the decisions Stockton made.
“He scares defense because he has the ability to be able to run the ball and throw the ball as a quarterback,” running back Nate Frazier said. “That scares defenses because they can’t really bring as much pressure as they want to. He means a lot to this offense, Gunner’s a great player and I’m so happy for him to be my quarterback.”
When it comes to throwing the ball, Stockton completed 14 of his 24 pass attempts for 190 yards. Stockton didn’t really push the ball down the field but Georgia rarely asked him to attack Marshall in that manner.
The offense misfired a bit in the second quarter where Georgia struggled to string drives together. But Stockton pushed Georgia into field goal range to end the half and then found Zachariah Branch for a 47-yard touchdown to open the third quarter.
Branch emerged as Georgia’s leading receiver, catching 3 passes for 95 yards and the touchdown. His first two receptions went for 25 and 23 yards and both picked up third downs.
The two have a strong rapport already after Branch transferred in from USC this offseason.
“He is a dog,” Branch said of Stockton. When I got here, just seeing the workouts and the way that he was carrying himself day in and day out, I knew that he could be a threat in a run game and passing as well. I’m definitely happy for him to go out there and show his wheels as well.
“He can move. I’m definitely happy for him to go out there and be able to show his wheels and be a versatile as well.”
Stockton ended his day with a touchdown pass to London Humphreys to put Georgia up 38-0. Stockton’s moment in the Sanford Stadium sun was a long time coming, as his first home start came at the beginning of his fourth season in Athens.
He’s happy for the memory he created on Saturday, running out of the tunnel as Georgia’s starter for the first time.
He looks forward to making more in the season to come.
“Being in the huddle with all the guys on the sidelines, and just enjoying the moment, and just chasing good memories,” Stockton said.
Gunner Stockton recaps his first Sanford Stadium start
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