After last year's Sugar Bowl heartbreak, Gunner Stockton and Georgia are back with a vengeance
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NEW ORLEANS — Gunner Stockton is one of those no-excuses guys.
The Georgia quarterback is often perfectly fine with absorbing the blame even when he’s far from the person at fault. In fact, he takes so much heat that his coaches actually offer excuses for him.
Coaches publicly espousing excuses for their players? What an anomaly.
That happened here Tuesday at a Sugar Bowl media event, when Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo assured a reporter that someone else should shoulder the blame for Stockton’s game-changing lost fumble in the Bulldogs’ loss against Notre Dame in this very game last year.
“Should have been better protection. That wasn’t his fault,” Bobo said. “But the thing that you love about Gunner is he takes that on himself.”
He most certainly does.
Ahead of this year’s Sugar Bowl — No. 3 Georgia meets No. 6 Ole Miss on New Year’s Day night in the CFP quarterfinals — Stockton is angry and searching for revenge. Well, as angry as this cow-owning country boy can be behind his ever-present sweeping grin.
“Before the half. The strip sack. Probably could have thrown that a little sooner,” he said. “It’s stuck with me a lot. The whole offseason until now.”
If you need a refresher on Notre Dame’s 23-10 win over Georgia last Jan. 2, here’s the gist: In a game moved back a day because of a deadly terrorist attack in the New Orleans French Quarter, the Irish broke a 3-all tie by scoring 17 points in a span of 54 seconds of gametime. They kicked a field goal, turned Stockton’s fumble into a touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half and then opened the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Bulldogs never really recovered, and their final hopes were dashed when Stockton’s fourth-quarter fourth-down attempt toward the end zone flew over intended receiver Lawson Luckie.
Stockton didn’t have a bad game — 20-of-32 passing for 234 yards — especially considering it was his first career start. But was it good enough? For him, it’s never quite good enough.
He’s examined that game, analyzed the entire week of preparation last year, which, he thought, had been good enough.
In the end, he arrived at his usual reasoning. It’s on him.
“Wish I could have played a little bit better,” he mumbled.
He’s a man of few words. That’s not the case for his coach, who, like so many, witnessed that sack-fumble and knew it wasn’t the fault of the quarterback.
Notre Dame edge rusher RJ Oben beat left tackle Monroe Freeling at the snap, erupting from the left side of the line — Stockton’s blindside — and using his right mitt to swat the ball free as the quarterback cocked his arm to unload a pass.
“He couldn't see the guy and he’s going to make the throw and the guy hits the ball,” Bobo said. “He takes it personally. ‘That fumble right there cost us the football game!’ Did it? No, it didn’t. Was it a big play in the game? Yes. Thing about him I love is he’s [saying], ‘What could I have done better in that situation to give us a better chance to win?’”
This time around, Stockton is a different guy, Bobo said. He’s got 14 more starts than he did this time last year. And a lot more confidence. And a lot more aggression, too.
He’s playing more free than he did against the Irish, uncorking the long ball more when needed (16 passes of 30 or more yards) and using his feet to move the chains (442 yards rushing).
He’s “letting the true Gunner Stockton come out and letting it rip,” Bobo said. “Sometimes when you are a young quarterback and have the personality like Gunner, you don’t want to make a mistake and let your teammates down. He’s done that over the course of this year — played a lot freer.”
That was apparent earlier this year in the first meeting against Ole Miss in Athens when Stockton eviscerated the Rebels secondary for 289 yards on 26-of-31 passing for four touchdowns. He ran for another 59 yards and a score.
Will Round No. 2 be more of the same?
“The biggest part is not being complacent or relaxed, ‘Oh we got this,’” Stockton said. “We’ve got to show up and play our best ball and execute at the end of the day.”
There will be no sack-fumble this time around, if Stockton has any control over it. Perhaps he’ll grow eyes in the back of his head? Maybe he’ll have some premonition and release the ball sooner?
Either way, Georgia and its quarterback are out for revenge.
“I believe this team has a different edge about them because of the way last season ended,” Bobo said. “We didn’t play well and we feel like we were out-physiacled in that game. That leaves a chip on your shoulder as a team that prides itself on being physical.”
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