New Georgia QB Gunner Stockton presents challenge for Irish

NEW ORLEANS — Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser said the Fighting Irish aren’t underestimating Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton because of his inexperience heading into Wednesday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Stockton, a third-year sophomore, had played sparingly for the No. 2 Bulldogs until he was forced into action after starter Carson Beck injured the elbow on his throwing arm on the final play of the first half in the Dec. 7 SEC championship game.

Stockton rallied the Bulldogs back in the second half of a 22-19 overtime victory against Texas.

“He’s not the veteran guy, but at the same time, he’s playing at Georgia,” Kiser said. “He’s their starting quarterback. He was a big-time recruit. I don’t think you can underestimate this dude at all.”

Stockton is expected to make his first career start against the No. 7 Fighting Irish at Caesars Superdome on New Year’s Day (8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+). Beck had season-ending elbow surgery on Dec. 23 and declared his intent to enter the NFL draft on Saturday.

Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart said Beck was expected to join the team in New Orleans this week.

Stockton met with the media for the first time at Monday’s Sugar Bowl media day. He didn’t say much, other than he was excited to finally get a chance to start at quarterback, even if the stage will be one of the biggest in the sport.

“It’s awesome,” Stockton said. “I mean, it’s a dream come true. I’m excited and excited for the opportunity. It’s a special opportunity, and I’m enjoying it.”

Stockton has completed 25 of 32 passes for 206 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in four games this season. Most of his action came in the second half against the Longhorns, in which he completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception.

Fighting Irish defensive tackle Howard Cross III said Stockton’s lack of playing time this season has made their preparations more difficult.

“I mean, we have limited film,” Cross said. “It’s kind of like having every piece of the puzzle except for one. We don’t really know if he’s a passing quarterback or a running quarterback. We know he’s good, but we don’t know what his tendencies are.”

Stockton was one of the most productive quarterbacks in Georgia high school history during his four years at Rabun County High School, accumulating 13,652 passing yards with 177 touchdowns and 4,372 rushing yards with 77 scores. As a senior, he completed 71.3% of his attempts for 4,134 yards with 55 touchdowns and one interception.

Stockton spent the past three seasons at Georgia sitting behind starter Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, and then behind Beck the past two seasons.

Smart said he has confidence in Stockton to perform because of his decision-making, accuracy and athleticism as a dual-threat quarterback.

“He’s been raised around football,” Smart said. “He’s a coach’s son. All the players play harder for him. 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. So that’s my reason for believing he’s a good quarterback.”

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said his staff has utilized the 86 plays in which Stockton was on the field this season to come up with a defensive game plan. He doesn’t expect the Bulldogs to change their identity or game plan because Stockton is under center.

“I don’t think they’re going to change their offense completely because of who’s at quarterback,” Freeman said. “He does a lot of things well that Carson Beck did well. He can throw it. Carson Beck is more athletic than I thought, until I started watching the film.

“I don’t assume it’s going to be that much different, but it’s also a game of adjustments. We have to be able to see what they’re trying to do and their plan of attack versus our defense.”

Kiser expects Georgia to rely on its running game and veteran offensive line to take pressure off of Stockton, but he isn’t going to underestimate the quarterback, either.

“You know, Georgia is Georgia,” Kiser said. “They are not going to change their offense because of one guy. They will add in different things, the read series, maybe a couple more QB draws. He’s a little bit more dynamic as an athlete. We just have to be ready for that and understand that there are more wrinkles than what you might see out of any other Georgia game.”