In the SEC Championship Game against Texas, Georgia football senior quarterback Carson Beck took a hard hit in the second quarter and struggled to get up. Head coach Kirby Smart explained that Beck's hand was hit as he threw the ball and a defender came around the edge. While Smart remained hopeful at halftime, it was later announced that Beck's day was over and backup Gunner Stockton would take over. Here are three key things to know about this Bulldogs' reserve QB.

Stockton's High School Stardom

Stockton emerged as a 4-star recruit from high school. Hailing from Tiger, Ga., he attended Rabun County High School and was coached by Jaybo Shaw. According to 247Sports, he was ranked as the No. 7 quarterback prospect nationally and No. 12 statewide. In his senior season, he led Rabun County to an 11-2 record and the GHSA Class 2A state quarterfinals. With a remarkable 71.3 percent completion rate, he threw for 4,134 yards and an astonishing 55 touchdowns while having only one interception. Additionally, he rushed 137 times for 956 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a dual-sport athlete who also played baseball, he helped the Wildcats football team reach the semifinals as a junior with a 12-2 record and the quarterfinals in his sophomore and freshman years. Throughout his four-year varsity career, he amassed 13,652 passing yards (third in the state behind Aaron Philo and Trevor Lawrence), 177 passing touchdowns (first in the state above Lawrence), 4,372 rushing yards and 77 rushing touchdowns. He received two athletic scholarships to attend Georgia (Leon Farmer, UGAA Association).

Stockton's Game Experience with Georgia

A redshirt sophomore, Stockton has played in a total of seven games for Georgia. This year, he played in three games and last year, he played in four. He enrolled in January 2022 but did not see any playing time that year. In 2023, his redshirt freshman year, he completed 12 passes on 19 attempts for 148 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also had 11 carries for 63 yards, with his longest rush being 14 yards but no scores. His best game last year was during the second half of the Orange Bowl versus Florida State, where he went 6-for-10 on passing for 96 yards and two touchdowns.

Stockton's 2024 Performance

This season, Stockton has completed 13 passes on 16 attempts for 135 yards with no interceptions and no touchdowns. His best game was against Tennessee Tech, where he went 10-for-12 on passing for 90 yards. He made his first appearance in the final drive of Georgia's season-opening win against Clemson in the Aflac Kickoff Game.