Brent Venables on Georgia QB Gunner Stockton: 'like a running back'

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The No. 24 Oklahoma Sooners and coach Brent Venables have their backs against the wall heading into Week 4 against the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs. Oklahoma has already suffered a loss this season (17-10 at Michigan in Week 2) and needs to beat Georgia on the road in order to not be facing College Football Playoff elimination for the rest of the season.

Oklahoma's defense leads the SEC in scoring. However, the Sooners will face their top offensive challenge yet as they play the Dawgs, who are averaging the most points per game in the country at 59.3.

Ahead of the matchup, Oklahoma coach Brent Venables was very complimentary of Georgia, especially quarterback Gunner Stockton. He praises Stockton's ability as a rusher and a passer.

"Gunner Stockton, I love how he plays." Venables said. "Again, he's and this is another year that he's started the year really, really well. He's just a a really good football player. (I) remember when he originally had committed to South Carolina out of high school and his high school, not that far from where I was at at the time. And the guy's been a winner his whole life.

"Plays the game the right way. (He) can run, can throw, he's completing 84% of his passes. Seven incompletions on the whole year, zero interceptions, run for 100 yards. He knows when to take it, pull it down. He's an excellent runner. They have designed quarterback run for him."

Stockton has been ultra efficient this season. He has nine touchdowns passes, no interceptions and just seven incompletions this season. However, he has not faced a test like the Oklahoma defense. The Sooners have five All-SEC players across all three levels of their defense and have the talent to shut down Georgia's receivers on the outside. Georgia is going to really need to establish the run and Stockton's legs are expected to be a big part of that.

"We'll have it in the first five plays, they're going to run some kind of sweep or power read or quarterback counter, something where they can get an extra hat on," Venables said. "And he runs it very well. He's got great instincts, like a like a running back back there. He leads the nation in pass efficiency as well."

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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Brent Venables on Georgia QB Gunner Stockton: 'like a running back'

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