Why Mike Bobo told Gunner Stockton that he's 'not Josh Allen'

The Georgia Bulldogs want to generate more explosive plays in 2026. If Georgia's offense under offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is going to hit another gear, then senior quarterback Gunner Stockton is going to need to step up. Stockton lost a lot of his valuable pass catchers from last season and needs to connect with his talented tight ends more often this season. Stockton may have to take more risks in order for Georgia to hit on more big plays. "I think it's experience," Bobo said when asked about Stockton taking shots down the field. "I think it's having confidence in what you see. "Throwing on time tells you a lot as a quarterback, but you can't be so risk-averse that you are afraid to push the ball down the field. Now, number one, a really good thing about Gunner (Stockton) is that he didn't turn the football over a lot, which is huge." Stockton is coming off a strong 2025 season. He finished seventh in the Heisman voting and delivered 2,894 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions. His QBR of 84.9 ranked sixth in college football. Stockton was effective in the red zone and his legs (462 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns) provided a major boost for the UGA offense. Stockton is constantly evaluating risks as a quarterback. The senior from Tiger, Georgia, is going to still look to avoid turnovers, but he can't be too timid with the ball. "When you push the ball downfield and you're a little more aggressive, sometimes turnovers happen, so there's that fine line," Bobo added. "Through spring practice and these six practices, we have talked about pushing the ball downfield, being aggressive, and you learn what you can and can't do. "Right before I came in here, we were watching NFL scrambles of guys making plays, scrambling in the pocket, keeping their eyes downfield, and Josh Allen makes this unbelievable throw. My quote in there to those guys was, 'Don't overestimate your ability. You're not Josh Allen. You can't make that throw, so you have got to know what you can and can't do.'" Bobo's advice is on point. Even Josh Allen needed some time in the NFL before he consistently made the right plays in scramble situations. Turnovers are costly and throwing into too tight of windows isn't a good idea unless there's no other option. Follow UGA Wire on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) or Threads for more Georgia football coverage! This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: Why Mike Bobo told Gunner Stockton that he's 'not Josh Allen'