Georgia football has QB battle for the No. 2 job behind Gunner Stockton

Georgia football has a battle at quarterback.

No, Gunner Stockton’s job is secure for the second year in a row as starter, it’s the guys behind him that put their competition on display Saturday April 18 at the annual G-Day spring game.

It’s the two Ryans and “Buddha,” trying to raise their stock.

Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery both got work on the Red team behind Stockton and pulled double duty for the Black team while Hezekiah “Buddha” Millender played exclusively for the Black.

Puglisi exited last season as the No. 2 quarterback but Montgomery clearly has made a move this spring.

“I don’t know that any of the three of them were so consistent to say, ‘Well, he’s the clear 2,’ or he’s the clear this,” coach Kirby Smart said. “It just wasn’t that way. And Gunner had good days and bad days but he’s the most consistent of making the right decision of where the ball goes. That’s half the battle at quarterback. Do you know where to go with the ball? Then, can you get the ball there? And then when all else fails what can you do with it?”

Montgomery, the redshirt freshman from Findlay, Ohio was 10-of-18 for 132 yards with an interception Saturday with a long pass of 48 yards and was not sacked.

Puglisi, a redshirt sophomore from Paxton, Mass., was 8-of-19 for 86 yards with a long of 32 and was sacked twice with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Millender, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound dual-threat redshirt freshman from Clarke Central, was 9-of-15 for 103 yards and was sacked once. He did not throw an interception or touchdown, but scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.

“It’s interesting,” Smart said of the 15 spring practices. “They all had their day. Buddha had some days where you’re like, man, Buddha is playing good. Then the two Ryans had days that they really played well.”

Smart said with little emphasis on running the ball Saturday, there’s “more pressure on them. We’ve got more two-minute situations. We’ve got more passing situations to put more pressure on them to make decisions, to play with their feet. …We had a couple of errant throws. Typically when you overthrow something into a split safety coverage you’re going to get interceptions.”

Montgomery’s best sequence came when he connected on two downfield throws, one for 48 yards to tight end Colton Heinrich and another for 23 to Landon Roldan.

“They’ve done a great job coming along, from Pugs to Buddah,” tight end Lawson Luckie. “All the guys have done a great job. They know what to do, they know how to get in the right play and right protection. They’re smart with the ball, not a lot of turnovers and they’re all good leaders. People want to play for them.”

Stockton was playing in his fifth spring game but didn’t see the field in the second half after going 7-of-12 for 76 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He had thrown for 309 yards in last year’s spring game and 246 in 2024.

Stockton was asked about the quarterbacks behind him.

“At Georgia, we’ll always have competition,” he said. “I don’t think that’s ever going to change. I like it that way. It makes everybody better. Definitely taking these reps at G-Day and the scrimmages we do, it definitely prepares you for it.”

Puglisi got seven drives that included four three-and-outs and a touchdown. Montgomery also got seven drives. The first three were punts and then came an interception but he got a field goal and touchdown on his next two possessions.

Millender’s three drives included a missed field goal, touchdown and a turnover on downs.

“He made a couple of really good plays today,” Smart said.

Freshman Bryson Beaver’s four drives included a field goal and touchdown but also an interception.

Smart said the scout team work Millender did last year was valuable.

“Look Bryson Beaver’s done some good things when he’s had an opportunity too,” Smart said. “We’re fighting like hell to get him all the reps we can each and every day in practice.”

Outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson was asked about the quarterbacks after Stockton.

“Ryan is just being composed in the pocket, being able to move and use his legs and find the open guys,” he said.

OK, he was asked, are you talking about Ryan Puglisi or Ryan Montgomery?

“Ryan Puglisi,” he said. “And Ryan Montgomery. Both of them.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Ryan Montgomery in the battle with Ryan Puglisi for Georgia No. 2 QB