Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton briefly left the loss to Auburn on Oct. 11 after his head struck the Sanford Stadium turf, then returned to the game. Kirby Smart said Stockton had no concussion symptoms, Saturday Down South reported.
Smart said Stockton was dealing with a shoulder stinger. Stockton finished 22-of-34 for 272 yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions, Sports Illustrated reported.
Stockton also lost a late fumble, giving him three second-half turnovers. Georgia backup quarterback Puglisi completed all three of his passes for 55 yards, Sports Illustrated reported.
Key Takeaways
- Smart said Stockton had not experienced concussion symptoms after briefly leaving the Auburn game.
- Smart identified a shoulder stinger as the issue affecting Stockton after Georgia’s loss.
- Stockton had three second-half turnovers, while backup Puglisi completed three passes for 55 yards.
Gunner Stockton injury status after Auburn
Stockton left Georgia’s opening drive after taking a hit on a five-yard run and landing on his head, Sports Illustrated reported. He returned several plays later and handed the ball to Dwight Phillips Jr. for a 20-yard touchdown.
Smart addressed Stockton’s condition on Tuesday, saying, “He has not had any concussion symptoms.” Smart said he relied on the medical staff’s evaluation and saw no issue while speaking with Stockton.
“I can only go off what medical people tell me,” Smart said, according to DawgNation. “I look at him in the eye and talking to him, there was no issue on any of that.”
Smart identified the shoulder stinger as the issue affecting Stockton after the Auburn game. He said the injury can be difficult for a player but expressed hope that Stockton would recover quickly.
“Now, he did have a stinger in his shoulder,” Smart said. “That can affect you. That’s hard.
That’s what linebackers get. That’s what Ja’Marley got. That’s what a lot of players get.
But you bounce back from those quickly.”
Smart pushed back on framing Stockton’s performance around a head injury, saying the quarterback still made positive plays. “He still did some really good things in that game,” Smart said.
“And I don’t think that making it about a head injury when there’s no symptoms of that are realistic,” Smart said.
Stockton’s performance included three second-half turnovers
Sports Illustrated reported that Stockton completed 22 of 34 passes for 272 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions against Auburn. He also lost a fumble late in the game, giving him three second-half turnovers.
The turnovers came as Auburn ended Georgia’s nine-game winning streak in the series, according to the additional reporting. Alex MacPherson’s last-second field goal followed Stockton’s late fumble.
Stockton’s two interceptions and fumble accounted for Georgia’s three second-half turnovers. Sports Illustrated also reported that he made productive throws and added a red-zone run during the game.
Puglisi completed all three of his attempts for 55 yards, Sports Illustrated reported. Smart said Puglisi took his practice repetitions and was part of the preparation for the plays he ran.
“That’s why he practices,” Smart said. “He goes out there every day and takes his reps. He takes much less than Gunner, but he was a part of the plan on all those plays.
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Georgia’s turnovers drew criticism after Auburn loss
Former Georgia defensive end David Pollack criticized the Bulldogs’ turnovers and penalties during a Bleacher Report discussion with Takeo Spikes, according to AOL’s additional reporting. Pollack pointed to Georgia losing the turnover battle 3-0 and committing roughing-the-passer penalties.
“Georgia doesn’t turn the football over very often,” Pollack said. “Not very often, they lose a turnover battle three to zero.”
Pollack said Georgia’s turnovers came in Auburn territory, costing the Bulldogs scoring opportunities and giving the Tigers chances. He called the late-game errors “bonehead mistakes.”
Georgia’s next game is against Kentucky on Oct. 18, following the open week after the Auburn loss.
