Gunner Stockton’s Poise, Georgia’s Playbook, and the Chess Match Ahead of Ole Miss Rematch
NEW ORLEANS - Preparing for Georgia is never simple. But according to Ole Miss assistant coach Joe Judge, it’s not just about X’s and O’s - it’s about decoding one of the most versatile and well-coached teams in college football.
“They’ve got every trick in the book,” Judge said. And he’d know - the former New York Giants head coach has seen his fair share of complex schemes. “These guys do a phenomenal job coaching and they are very talented.”
That blend of elite coaching and elite talent starts under center with quarterback Gunner Stockton. And if you ask Rebels defensive coordinator Bryan Brown, Stockton’s impact on a game goes far beyond the stat sheet.
Brown, a self-described basketball junkie, went big with his comparison - likening Stockton’s football instincts to none other than LeBron James.
“That’s what Gunner is - he’s a football player that makes the right football plays,” Brown said. “You think about LeBron - he makes the right decisions, he sees the floor, he elevates the players around him.
Gunner does that on the football field. When you’ve got a guy like that, you’re always in a position to win.”
It’s not just Stockton’s arm that causes problems. It’s what he does when the play breaks down - when things go off-script and instinct takes over. That’s where his game really shines.
“He’s a gamer,” Brown said. “He extends plays with his legs, but it’s not just to run - he keeps his eyes downfield, looking to throw.
And when he needs to, he’ll tuck it and go. He’s smart about it.
He knows when to take off and when to stay patient.”
The numbers back that up. Stockton has been money in short-yardage situations.
On third-and-3 or less, he’s moved the chains 13 times on 17 attempts with his legs. And on fourth down?
He’s a perfect four-for-four converting with his feet. That kind of reliability in pressure moments is rare - and it’s part of what makes Georgia so hard to game plan for.
But the challenge for Ole Miss goes beyond stopping Stockton. This is the second time these two teams will meet this season, and that adds an entirely different layer of complexity. Judge broke it down like a coach preparing for a chess match - one where every move is built on layers of past decisions.
“You can’t just prepare for what they did the first time,” Judge said. “You’ve got to study how they evolved since then.
What’s changed in their tendencies? What wrinkles have they added?”
And then there’s the historical angle - what Georgia tends to do in second meetings, especially with time to prepare.
“They’ve been in this spot before - playing the same team twice,” Judge continued. “So you go back and study what they changed in those second games.
That history matters. It tells you how they think, how they adapt.”
For Ole Miss, it’s not just about stopping a quarterback or cracking a playbook. It’s about anticipating the next move in a high-stakes chess match against one of the most well-rounded programs in the country.
Georgia brings depth, discipline, and a quarterback who plays with a veteran’s poise. And if the Rebels want to flip the script in the rematch, they’ll need to be just as sharp - mentally and physically - as the team they’re lining up against.
Because when you’re facing a team that has “every trick in the book,” you better bring a few of your own.