Kirby Smart defends Gunner Stockton against Paul Finebaum criticism

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart didn’t hesitate to stand up for his quarterback when he appeared on The Paul Finebaum Show yesterday. The conversation became somewhat awkward after Finebaum had earlier, on ESPN, in a segment called “Fine or Not Fine,” cast doubt on whether Gunner Stockton could successfully lead the Bulldogs in 2025. Finebaum responded to a prompt of Georgia being ‘Fine or Not Fine’ with Gunner Stockton as their starting quarterback with, “I’d say that’s a big not fine. I know the team coalesced around him after the SEC Championship Game, but I was underwhelmed by what I saw from Gunner Stockton in the Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame.”

Finebaum playfully said of those comments to Smart in his interview with the Georgia head coach, “I’m glad you missed an earlier interview I did on ESPN.” Smart, clearly aware of the comments, responded directly to Finebaum during the interview, saying with a smile, “Oh, I didn’t miss it. I didn’t miss it.” Smart continued, saying, “Yeah, I’m excited. Gunner got the message, man. He got the message. You did your job.” His words were light-hearted but firm, a clear sign he took the comment seriously and is using it as fuel for his quarterback.

"Gunner got the message." – Kirby Smart on Paul Finebaum saying Georgia would be "not fine" with Gunner Stockton as their starting QB.

The College Football World has been put on notice.#GoDawgspic.twitter.com/kyzh1RA296

— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) May 27, 2025

The exchange stemmed from Stockton’s performance in the Sugar Bowl, where he started in place of the injured Beck. While Georgia ultimately lost to Notre Dame, Stockton showed promise, throwing for over 230 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t a flawless outing, but Smart saw enough to be confident in the young quarterback’s potential moving forward.

Finebaum, however, wasn’t convinced, and many other members of the media share the same sentiment.

That doubt didn’t sit well with Smart, who has long made it a point to defend his players publicly. His comments suggest Stockton is embracing the challenge and using the criticism as motivation heading into the 2025 season.

With the season opener against Marshall just around the corner, Smart is betting big on Stockton. He knows the expectations at Georgia don’t change, regardless of who’s under center. Stockton is expected to win and perform at a high level, and Smart believes he’s ready. Whether the rest of the country shares that confidence remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Kirby Smart has his quarterback’s back, and Gunner Stockton has been officially put on notice, both by his critics and his coach. Now, it’s up to him to prove them wrong on the field.