It’s been 18 months since Georgia fans could comfortably talk in public without someone saying, “Y’all ain’t the kings no more.” The dynasty? Not dead, but limping. That ‘unfinished business’ billboard from 2023? Yeah, that aged like milk. Kirby Smart and Dawgs won the SEC in overtime, sure—but then limped into the College Football Playoff and got straight cooked by Notre Dame. That Orange Bowl loss wasn’t just a loss—it was a wake-up call with a sledgehammer. And now, heading into 2025, all eyes are on one name. One question: Can Gunner Stockton really be him?

Athens doesn’t do fairy tales. The city’s got championship rings, not bedtime stories. So when you lose your QB1, get whooped in the playoffs, and your five-star replacements look like they’ve never seen a blitz package before, folks start sweating. Carson Beck dipped for a Miami bag worth four mil, and Georgia fans didn’t even get a “thanks for the memories.” His final season? Spotty. Twenty-eight touchdowns, but 12 picks and zero playoff appearances on the field when it mattered. Then came the elbow surgery that benched him during the postseason and pushed Gunner Stockton into the fire like a steak on a grill that isn’t hot yet.

Gunner wasn’t some wide-eyed freshman. He was a redshirt sophomore—the man had been sitting, learning, waiting. And when the curtain finally rose, Stockton stepped in with all eyes on him and only one mission: save the season. He played 5 games, dropped a cool 70.3% completion rate, 440 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 pick. But no matter how nice those completion stats sound, this isn’t baseball—batting average doesn’t win championships. The Dawgs looked like a Ferrari on E, no burst, no magic, no wow factor.

And man, that Notre Dame game? Let’s talk about it. 25-of-32, 206 yards. Clean stat line, sure. But it was like watching someone play Madden on rookie difficulty—no risk, no big throws, no juice. Georgia scored 10 points and sat there while Marcus Freeman’s boys danced all over Hard Rock Stadium. Stockton wasn’t the problem, but he sure didn’t fix anything either, so that’s a problem, right?

That’s why Tom Fornelli came swinging on Cover 3 on 11th April. He looked around the college football landscape, saw Georgia’s stacked roster, and said what everyone’s been whispering in Athens: “Can Gunner [Stockton] be the kind of guy who can once again get them to the top of the SEC and not only get them to the playoff but can they actually win a game this time?” And look, that last part stung. Georgia was in the College Football Playoff—but couldn’t even buy a touchdown when it counted. And that’s what lingers. That’s the demon haunting Kirby Smart’s sleep schedule.

Former Ohio State star Beanie Wells jumped in with some real talk: “You know, this is an interesting situation. You know, when you look at the fact that, you know, when you look at Georgia as a whole on the offensive end, they were down. Not a very good football team. And I think a lot of us anticipated then with Carson Beck at the helm, being one of the best offenses in the country—and they just weren’t that, for whatever reason. Now you switch QBs, and now you don’t have the same running game.”

This is where the plot thickens. Georgia’s offense in 2024? Mid. Like, super mid. The offense probably led the nation with the most drops. Look, it wasn’t that usual bulldog-style dominance we’re used to. And now they’re rolling into 2025 hoping the transfer portal saves their bacon. USC speedster Zachariah Branch and A&M’s Noah Thompson are supposed to be the go-to guys at wideout. But is that enough? Beanie isn’t so sure.

“So hopefully for Georgia’s sake, you know, he is a quarterback that has all the intangibles. He just needs players around him to where they can figure out how to best put pieces in place for this offense to be successful—because last year was not it. And I can’t see Georgia winning another SEC Championship with the same caliber of offense as last season.”

Kirby Smart’s not feeling the vibe: UGA’s growing pains are real

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart isn’t sugarcoating a thing either. He’s been walking around spring camp like a man who just found out his favorite Waffle House shut down. Frustrated? That’s putting it light. He is fed up. “We really can’t practice to our standard because they’re all tired,” Smart snapped after a spring session. “They are not where they need to be… they have to be willing to receive coaching.” Translation: These new kids aren’t built like that. Not yet, at least.

Let’s keep it 100—Kirby’s been spoiled. He’s had rosters stacked with NFL-ready dogs, seasoned vets who knew the standard. But now? Massive turnover. Only 26 players on this year’s squad have been through at least three spring practices. That’s a whole lot of fresh faces trying to figure out how to move in SEC territory. “We have the least number of players who have gone through three spring practices since I’ve been here,” Smart added. “So that should tell you something.”

It’s not just about talent. Georgia signed the No. 2 recruiting class for 2025, so yeah, they’ve got ballers. But Kirby’s message is clear: don’t think five stars mean five minutes to the starting lineup. These freshmen are getting humbled real quick. “I’m calling out all the freshmen,” he said. “We’re not in shape. There’s not a guy out there… that is sustaining his reps and just flourishing.”

KJ Bolden, one of the few vets left standing, knows what time it is. “I prayed for moments like this, to be a leader,” Bolden said. “We’re supposed to go all the way.” That’s the energy UGA needs, but leadership alone won’t fix a locker room that’s basically under construction. Kirby’s biggest challenge right now isn’t scheme or play-calling—it’s chemistry.

“We’ve got to probably simplify some to get guys just to go play and not be thinking out there…I need the older players… to lead year one guys.” That’s real talk. Right now, the Bulldogs look like a Ferrari with a learner’s permit behind the wheel. And who’s holding that wheel? Yep. Gunner Stockton. So yeah, the biggest question in Athens isn’t about talent, rankings, or coaching. It’s whether Gunner can go from backup to baller, from QB2 to UGA’s next legend. Because in the SEC, there isn’t any grace period. Either you run the conference or get run over.