ATHENS – Georgia’s offense put on a strong showing during its annual G-Day spring scrimmage April 14, with the quarterback room drawing much of the attention.
The Bulldogs head into next season with Gunner Stockton entrenched as the starter, but the competition behind him remains unsettled.
As fall camp approaches in August, the battle for the No. 2 quarterback spot is expected to be one of the team’s key storylines, with Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery currently viewed as the leading contenders.
At the same time, Hezekiah Millender and Bryson Beaver both strengthened their cases with encouraging performances this spring and in the scrimmage.
“It was a different kind of game. They don’t have the run game as their friend in that game, so it’s like we put more pressure on them,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “We’ve got more two-minute situations, more passing situations to put pressure on them to make decisions, to play with their feet. The defense knows that, too. They crank up the rush, and it makes it a little tougher. Overall assessment, I’ll reserve judgment until I actually watch it.”
Smart noted mixed results from the quarterbacks in an environment designed to stress decision-making and passing.
“You know, we had a couple errant throws, and typically when you overthrow something into a split-safety coverage, you’re going to get interceptions, and that happened a couple times,” Smart said. “The good news is we were able to make those plays defensively. In the past, sometimes we’ve dropped those interceptions. But the guys did some good things. Gunner did some good things, and wideouts made some plays. So that was a good experience for that wideout group.”
Stockton saw limited action but was efficient, completing 7 of 12 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown to tight end Jaden Reddell.
Behind him, Puglisi had a tougher outing, finishing 8-of-19 for 86 yards. Montgomery showed more poise in his reps, going 10-of-18 for 132 yards with an interception while still flashing his ability to push the ball downfield.
Millender delivered some of the more eye-catching throws of the day, completing 9 of 15 passes for 103 yards with several tight-window completions. Beaver also impressed, finishing 9-of-13 for 101 yards with a touchdown pass to tight end Kaiden Prothro and an interception. He added 23 rushing yards on three carries, showing his dual-threat ability.
Even so, Smart emphasized how difficult it is to evaluate the quarterback group fairly, given the personnel rotation and the mixed offensive units throughout the spring.
“You know, it’s interesting. I saw days that each was like everything. I mean, they all had their day,” Smart said. “Buddha (Millender) had some days that you were like, man, Buddha’s playing good. Then the two Ryans had days when they really played well. I don’t know that any of the three of them were consistent to be able to say he’s the clear two.
“And Gunner had good days and bad days, but he’s the most consistent in terms of making the right decision with where the ball goes. That’s half the battle at quarterback. Then can you get it there? And when all else fails, what can you do with it? Gunner’s been the best at that because of his experience.
“But the other three or four guys have done a good job. Bryson Beaver’s done some good things when he’s had an opportunity. We’re fighting to get him as many reps as we can each day in practice. That’s the hard part — getting that many guys reps.”