Big Dawg Decisions: Kirby Smart Faces Tough QB Call and Defensive Rebuild Ahead of 2025 Season Kickoff

As the clock ticks down to the release of the AP Preseason Top 25 on August 11, all eyes in Athens are locked on Kirby Smart and the critical questions surrounding his Georgia Bulldogs. It’s not just about rankings anymore—it’s about whether this new-look team can live up to the sky-high expectations that come with being a national powerhouse. Smart has already brought two national titles back to Athens and turned Georgia into one of the sport’s premier brands, but 2025 might just be his toughest test yet. With a new quarterback under center and a defense that’s still learning on the fly, fall camp isn’t just about conditioning and scheme—this is about survival and statement-making from Day 1.

The biggest question—and let’s be honest, it’s one that’s been simmering since the Sugar Bowl—is whether Gunner Stockton is truly ready to lead this team as QB1 now that Carson Beck is off to the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. Stockton showed flashes of real promise in that Sugar Bowl win, throwing for 234 yards and giving fans a taste of his potential. But potential doesn’t win SEC games, and the gauntlet ahead—including road battles with Alabama and Texas—isn’t going to give him time to figure things out mid-season. This decision isn’t just about arm talent. It’s about consistency, poise under pressure, and whether or not Stockton can handle the mental and physical grind of a full SEC schedule where every opponent wants a piece of Georgia.

What makes this quarterback battle even more intense is that Ryan Puglisi isn’t going away quietly. He’s turned fall camp into a legit competition, showing off his arm strength and decision-making to keep the heat on Stockton. And that’s the kind of pressure that could bring out the best in both guys—or expose who’s not quite ready. Kirby Smart has been measured in his praise, but he hasn’t handed anything to anyone yet. He did compliment Stockton’s mobility, saying it opens up more creative run-game options, but you better believe he’s watching every snap, every throw, and every moment of leadership like a hawk. Georgia can’t afford to get the quarterback decision wrong, not this year, not with so much at stake.

The other major storyline coming out of camp is just as critical: what will Georgia’s defense look like now that only three starters are returning? That’s not just turnover—it’s almost a full reset. And while Georgia has become known for its “next man up” philosophy and elite recruiting depth, there’s still a lot of untested talent being asked to take on massive roles. Josh Pate made waves recently by pointing out that Georgia’s pass rush was ranked just 47th in the country last year—a number that would’ve been unthinkable during the team’s 2021 and 2022 championship runs. It’s not just about individual talent. It’s about communication, trust, and playing at a championship level in every phase of the game. That doesn’t happen overnight, no matter how loaded your roster is.

That’s why Kirby is banking on guys like sophomore linebacker Justin Williams to step up in a major way. Williams isn’t just being asked to make plays—he’s being groomed as a leader. Alongside fellow young gun Chris Cole, Williams is expected to anchor a unit that’s going to have to gel quickly and hold its own against some of the most explosive offenses in the nation. There’s no time for growing pains when you’re facing Texas and Alabama in the same season. These guys are going to be thrown into the fire, and they’ll need to respond with the kind of speed, physicality, and discipline that’s become the Georgia defensive standard.

The pressure is real, especially now that the SEC media poll has picked Texas over Georgia. For a program that has set the bar so high under Smart, that kind of prediction doesn’t sit well in Athens. But if you’ve followed Kirby Smart long enough, you know he’ll use that as fuel. His mantra this offseason has been all about “fire, passion, energy”—and his players better bring all three because the margin for error in this year’s SEC is razor thin. There’s no room for sleepwalking into games or easing into the schedule. Georgia will have to punch first, punch often, and punch smart if they want to make it back to the playoff—especially now with the expanded 12-team format making competition even tighter.

All this brings us to the mental side of the game, which is where Smart thrives. He’s a master motivator and a relentless competitor, and he’s going to push this team harder than ever. Because while talent is one thing, execution and identity are another. Right now, Georgia is in the process of building that new identity. It won’t be Carson Beck’s team. It won’t be last year’s defense. This is a new squad, and it’s going to need new leaders, new vocal energy, and a new toughness if it wants to carry the G with pride into another championship hunt.

And while fans are eager to see the AP rankings, you get the sense that Kirby isn’t too worried about a No. 5 or No. 3 next to his team’s name. He’s said it before—preseason rankings are just noise. What matters is how this team responds to adversity, how the quarterback handles hostile environments, how the young defense steps up when they’re backed into a corner. Georgia has the tools. The question is whether this group has the edge and maturity to make those tools count when the lights are on and everything is on the line.

There’s something raw and exciting about this moment in Georgia’s program. The past few years have been about dominance and legacy-building. This year feels like a reboot—not a rebuild, but a rebirth. New leaders are emerging, competition is fierce, and there’s an edge in camp that suggests this team is hungry, maybe even more than in years past. Because they know people are watching. They know the narrative is shifting. And they know the only way to silence the noise is to go out and remind everyone who still runs the SEC.

So as the countdown to kickoff continues and the AP Poll sets the stage, Georgia fans should feel a mixture of nerves and excitement. The challenges are real, but so is the potential. If Gunner Stockton wins the job and lives up to the moment, if the defense finds its swagger early, and if Kirby Smart can keep the team focused and fiery, this Georgia squad has every right to believe it can hoist another trophy come January.

For now, though, all that matters is the work. The reps. The competition. The long hours in the film room and the brutal practices under the Georgia sun. Because this isn’t just about starting the season in the top five—it’s about finishing as No. 1. And Kirby Smart wouldn’t want it any other way.