Georgia Bulldogs may have dodged a major bullet after all when they missed out on landing Arch Manning during recruiting battle
Yikes.
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs may have dodged a major bullet after all when it came to missing out on landing quarterback Arch Manning during the 2023 recruiting process.
Manning chose not to come to Georgia, thinking he could blend in better with the crowd in Austin, but after Saturday’s performance, that would be hard to do.
The former five-star recruit out of New Orleans suited up for his debut as the starting quarterback for the No. 1-ranked Texas Longhorns, and things didn’t go as expected against No. 3 Ohio State.
Manning struggled, completing 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception as the Longhorns went on to lose 14-7 to the Buckeyes. He also didn’t throw a pass over 10 yards until the final quarter.
“Ultimately, not good enough,” Manning said. “Obviously you don’t want to start the season off 0–1. They’re a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves alive and that starts with me. I’ve got to play better for us to win.”
The same couldn’t be said for Georgia’s new starting quarterback, Gunner Stockton.
Stockton wrapped up his day completing 14 of 24 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. He also showed off his legs, carrying the ball 10 times for 73 yards and two more scores as Georgia went on to crush the Marshall Thundering Herd, 45-7.
Sure, Stockton wasn’t up against a ranked opponent on the road like Manning, but it was a nice glimpse into what the future of Georgia might look like with a dual-threat quarterback. Stockton will get his first big starting debut in Week 3 when the Dawgs face the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville. Georgia takes on Austin Peay between now and then.
Meanwhile, Manning and the Longhorns will look to rebound against San Jose State.
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