Former Georgia Bulldogs defensive end and college football analyst David Pollack thinks Georgia's 2026 season hinges on a couple of different things. Pollack shares that he thinks Georgia needs quarterback Gunner Stockton to step up if the Dawgs are going to win a championship.
Stockton had a productive 2025 season as the starter and finished No. 7 in the Heisman voting, but he was unable to deliver a touchdown on Georgia's final red zone trip in the Sugar Bowl. Stockton needs to make a few more plays this season for Georgia to reach its full potential.
"If Gunner Stockton doesn't get better, they won't win a championship," Pollack said. "Like, he has to get better. He has a year more of experience. He's got to he's got to step up just like a lot
of people around him will have to step up."
Pollack still has a lot of confidence in Georgia. He thinks the Bulldogs will win the SEC championship for a third straight season. It is fair that he thinks Stockton needs to step up for Georgia to win a national title. Quarterbacks are the most important position in football and the team with the best quarterback is often the best team in the country. Georgia has enough talent to where Stockton doesn't have to do it all, but the Bulldogs don't have the absurd wealth of talent they had back in 2021 and 2022.
Pollack thinks Stockton could be better at utilizing the tight ends. Georgia simply did not get enough production from a talented tight ends group in 2025. The Bulldogs' tight ends managed just 43 receptions, 545 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Those numbers are all the least Georgia has had in an individual season since 2020.
"I think the tight ends are the key to this offense, " Pollack said. Georgia doesn't have Brock Bowers rolling through the door, but the Bulldogs have stacked a lot of talent at that position.
"That kind of goes back to trying to figure out who our identity is this year, and we lost a lot of experience in that receiving room," Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said when asked about getting more tight end production in 2026. "We have a little bit more experience coming back in the tight end room. You're constantly in the competition to see if you're in more 11 personnel, more 12 personnel."
David Pollack on Gunner Stockton
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This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: David Pollack thinks Gunner Stockton needs to improve
