Kentucky concerns: Gunner Stockton, Georgia ‘tempo’ offense, Zachariah Branch

ATHENS — Kentucky coach Mark Stoops has seen a lot of SEC quarterbacks over his 13 years leading the Wildcats, and he’s not taking Georgia first-year starting quarterback Gunner Stockton lightly.

The No. 12-ranked Bulldogs (3-1, 1-1 SEC) play host to Kentucky (2-2, 0-2) at noon Saturday at Sanford Stadium.

Georgia is a three-touchdown favorite but hasn’t beaten an SEC opponent by three touchdowns since the end of the 2023 season — a string of 13 games — since beating Tennessee 38-10 in Neyland Stadium.

Stoops spoke on the SEC teleconference about Stockton’s preparation, receiving corps and the up-tempo package Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator Mike Bobo has run this season.

“I’ve been very impressed with Gunner, he’s a guy that you know was gonna be well-prepared because he’s been in their system for a while,” Stoops said on the SEC coaches teleconference this week.

“He just seems like the type of guy, he’ll do anything necessary to help position his team to win a game.”

Stockton came up inches short on a third-and-3 from the Alabama 10-yard line, leading Bobo to trigger a “tempo” quick snap play on fourth down that was drawn up perfectly but failed when two freshmen offensive linemen failed to execute a block.

“All analytics would tell you to go for it, not that analytics is always right, because they’re certainly not, but you know ... the play was very close to going for a touchdown,” Stoops said. “I don’t want to get into specifics and coach their team, but I can promise you that Georgia’s, you know, hurting over that one because it’s very close to a walk-in.”

Stoops, no doubt, has studied how Bobo has utilized the up-tempo plays — “sequencing,” as Kirby Smart has called it — to put pressure on defenses to get lined up quickly and in proper position.

“There’s no doubt (tempo) presents problems,” Stoops said, noting that teams like Georgia, Kentucky and Alabama carry several defensive sets with built-in adjustments for each offensive set they might face.

“(Defenses) don’t always jive with unbalanced sets and different sets and unique formations that people could get into, (so) with tempo in general, it doesn’t always ... help the defense get their cleats in the ground and get prepared and pre-snap keys of the formation, back set and anticipate the plays that come out of those sets.”

Regardless of the formation or speed the Georgia operates with Saturday, Stoops has seen enough to know the Bulldogs will be looking to get the ball to wide receiver Zachariah Branch.