By: Matthew Weatherby
For the past year, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart has looked taxed, and at times even visibly frustrated in his interactions with the media. But throughout this offseason, Smart has carried a more relaxed demeanor.
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There could be several reasons for his newfound peace, maybe it was a quieter offseason, or maybe he knows something the rest of us don’t.
Smart hasn’t looked this comfortable since SEC Media Days in 2022, when he brought along center Sedrick Van Pran, edge rusher Nolan Smith, and quarterback Stetson Bennett.
That was a group of veterans and team leaders Smart knew he could count on. So, what similarities does the 2025 media-day roster have with the one from 2022?
Honestly, not many.
This year’s roster features linebacker C.J. Allen, cornerback Daylen Everette, and quarterback Gunner Stockton.
Stockton, the most prominent of the three, remains unproven, making Smart’s decision to feature him at media days unprecedented.
To find a comparable situation, you have to go back to 2020, when J.T. Daniels started the final four games of the season for the Bulldogs, including a win in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Cincinnati and ultimately earned the trip to Media Day in 2021.
Smart’s decision seems like a vote of confidence in his untested quarterback, but it also highlights something deeper: Stockton’s leadership. That’s a trait Smart may value above all else. Previous media-day rosters have consistently included players Smart considered team leaders.
Smart often begins his media-day remarks by highlighting his players and usually points to leadership as the reason they were chosen to attend.
Though his experience is limited, Stockton has shown promise in high-pressure moments, spearheading a second-half comeback in the SEC Championship against Texas and following it with a strong Sugar Bowl performance against Notre Dame, throwing for 234 yards, the most the Irish defense allowed to any quarterback during the playoffs.
If the Dawgs are going to achieve their goals in 2025, Stockton will need to keep building on that momentum and become everything Smart believes he can be.
