Venables Praises Stockton's Dual-Threat Ability Ahead of Oklahoma-Georgia
The short version
- No. 24 Oklahoma faces No. 2 Georgia in Week 4 at Sanford Stadium
- Venables praised Stockton as a runner and passer with instincts 'like a running back'
- Stockton has nine touchdown passes, zero interceptions and seven incompletions this season
- Georgia leads the nation at 59.3 points per game; Oklahoma's defense leads the SEC in scoring
- Oklahoma is 1-0 in losses after falling 17-10 at Michigan in Week 2
Oklahoma's coach called Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton a natural runner with elite passing numbers as the No. 24 Sooners prepare to visit the No. 2 Bulldogs.
Oklahoma coach Brent Venables had high praise for Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton this week as the No. 24 Sooners prepare for a Week 4 road matchup against the No. 2 Bulldogs.
Oklahoma enters the game with one loss on the season, having fallen 17-10 at Michigan in Week 2. A road defeat in Athens would leave the Sooners facing an uphill climb toward College Football Playoff contention for the remainder of the year.
The game features a contrast of strengths. Oklahoma's defense leads the SEC in scoring defense, but the Sooners have not faced an offense like Georgia's. The Bulldogs lead the country in scoring at 59.3 points per game.
Venables highlighted Stockton's all-around play, saying he loves how the quarterback competes. He noted Stockton has started the season strongly and called him a really good football player who has been a winner his whole life. Venables also recalled that Stockton originally committed to South Carolina out of high school, not far from where Venables was coaching at the time.
The numbers back up the praise. Stockton is completing 84 percent of his passes with only seven incompletions all season. He has thrown nine touchdown passes without an interception and has run for 100 yards. Stockton also leads the nation in pass efficiency.
Venables described Stockton as an excellent runner with great instincts, comparing him to a running back. He said Georgia has designed quarterback runs in its package and predicted the Bulldogs would use sweeps, power reads or quarterback counters early in the game to get an extra blocker at the point of attack.
Stockton has yet to face a defense like Oklahoma's. The Sooners feature five All-SEC players spread across all three levels of their defense, with the talent to challenge Georgia's receivers on the outside. Establishing the run is expected to be key for the Bulldogs, with Stockton's legs a central part of that plan.
Oklahoma visits Georgia on Saturday, September 26 at 3:30 PM EDT at Sanford Stadium. The game airs on ESPN and streams on Disney+.
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