"Gunner Stockton cannot lead this team back to where they were a year ago if it's the same team," said former Georgia defensive end David Pollack
The Georgia Bulldogs have been predicted to finish second in the SEC during the 2025 college football season. The media expects Georgia to fall to the Texas Longhorns in the SEC championship.
One big question mark for Georgia ahead of the 2025 season is Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who is entering his first year as the starter and has just one career start. Yes, Stockton helped Georgia win the 2024 SEC championship against Texas, but the 2024 version of Georgia was flawed and lost three games.
College football analyst David Pollack thinks the Bulldogs have to be better surrounding Stockton than they were last season in order for Georgia to have a better season in 2025.
"Gunner Stockton cannot lead this team back to where they were a year ago if it's the same team," said Pollack. "If they can't run the football, it's not going to happen. Like they've brought in a bunch of receivers. That's (2024) the worst rushing season Georgia's had in 20 years."
Last year, Georgia finished as the second-worst rushing offense in the SEC (124.4 yards per game). The Bulldogs could run the ball against Texas, who had one of the nation's best defenses, but Georgia's rushing offense was not consistent or dominant enough.
"If Gunner Stockton is a guy that can play action pass and use that part of his game and they do what Georgia has done with Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck and all these guys, he absolutely can be successful. If you're going to drop back and throw the ball 30, 40 times a game and not have a run game, I don't think he they're going to be back where they were (SEC champions and College Football Playoff appearance)," said Pollack.
One thing Georgia has working in its favor is its schedule. The Bulldogs have a challenging SEC schedule, but Georgia opens the season with a pair of non-Power Four opponents, so Gunner Stockton and Georgia's other new starters will have a good opportunity to get experience heading into Georgia's big Week 3 game at Tennessee.
"This is a team that's breaking in a bunch of new components. The interior of that offensive line, guard, center, guard, they all got drafted. Like, they're all gone. So that that's going to be a a big part of it," continued Pollack.
Georgia has just one offensive lineman on the All-SEC team, so the Dawgs enter the year with some serious questions up front. Additionally, Georgia's defense had three players drafted in the first-round of the 2025 NFL draft, so Kirby Smart and Georgia lost some critical pieces on both sides of the ball.
"I think Gunner's a really good player," Pollack noted. "I think he's got a really, really good arm. I would love to see him continue to grow and get better at the intermediate. I'd love to see him learn how to change pace with the football. Like he's got a big windup (in his throwing motion)."
Last year, Stockton completed 45 of 64 passes for 440 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He attempted 48 of his passes against College Football Playoff opponents.
"I'm 100% sure if you're not going to give him a running game, it's going to be a tough season for the Georgia offense," said Pollack.
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Why David Pollack thinks Georgia's offense could have a 'tough season'
Category: General Sports
