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Comments
At USC he will be competing for qb#1. Not that will pay lots. But his family will be Able to attend more games. Ohh wait!! USC will be traveling east for all those B1G games.
I definitely feel like we dodged a bullet here... even DR was not this rapidly wishy-washy. We have plenty to offer much more stable high-performers
In Los Angeles? You might be surprised. I have several connections at USC, and their pockets are deeeepppppp
I wasn't going to say anything before now because I wanted to try to be positive about it but watching his film he seemed very stiff or wooden to me. A big kid but his film didn't scream anything special or even athletic looking to me. So, not upset.
Sounds like he got confirmation from Riley that he wuld be his definite #2.
Maiava had a very clear path to QB1. In '25. He had a very clear path to QB2 in '24. He just had to learn the O, shine in his reps and out perform Stockton. A player with his experience and skillset could've pulled it off. The fact that USC paid up for this guy tells you all you need to know about his ceiling.
The kid was his conference's "Freshman Player of the Year" . He has QB prototype size and a big arm. He has talent. You people on this site think UGA has cornered the market on talented players. UGA hasn't. For reference, Maiava had more passing yards and the same completion % as SBIV did in '21. As a freshman.
Pretty clearly this player valued starting this season at USC and a pocket full of money over playing for UGA. Seems pretty shortsighted.
The good news is that there will be another transfer window open after spring ball to add a QB. Like Fromm's last year at UGA, CBeck will not be allowed to run this season for fear of injury derailing a championship run. Kinda makes any RPO action a bluff that won't be called.
Deep pockets are not the issue. The University made a very public split with some of its most prolific and wealthy donors a couple years ago and they have made no effort to reconnect. As a result, there is no connection right now between the school, the football program, and the money.
The new athletic director they brought in from Washington supposedly has the skills to get money. The problem is she hasn't developed those relationships yet. And I promise you because she's a woman, the monied donors will be slow to open their wallets.
They are already paying Lincoln Riley more than he's worth. They have invested hundreds of millions in upgrading their athletic facilities. The well is about dry and they want results. The school itself is run by an incompetent whose only focus is making sure every aspect of the school including athletics look clean and smell good.
From the UNLV website: Redshirted season after joining program ... Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN … The highest-rated high school QB in UNLV history according to 247Sports … Rated the No. 24 pocket passer recruit in the nation by ESPN … Rated the No. 11 overall prospect out of the state of Nevada and the No. 50 quarterback recruit in the nation by 247Sports … Named Second Team All-Southern Nevada by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Sometimes there are diamonds in the rough so to speak, and maybe this guy wil be one. But GS and RP, and CB all were rated higher than this guy. MUch higher. Good luck to him. See for yourselves, go watch film at HUDL.com of MAiava and Puglisi or Stockton and you tell me. THe guy isn't bad(competition doesn't look great) but you won't( I couldn't) find one play where he takes off on a QB keeper up the middle and makes a play with his legs. THe couple of plays he does score on are just one side of the field being clear and he runs to the boundary for a score from 10 yards out. I also didn't see any throws longer than roughly 40 yards. Not saying he can't do it, he's a big kid, just not much tape .
If not for his 6'5" frame, he's unspectacular. Not a guy that was going to be running around much, if any, in the SEC when BAMA is bringing the pressure. Like most QB's who are very good coming out of HS. If you give him time and a wide open receiver, he can hit them.
No sarcasm at you But: “He just had to learn the O, shine in his reps and out perform Stockton” I think this is a large assumption on your part for Two reasons. 1) Though yes limited Gunner Has had snaps in the SEC real games. The young man from UNLV, uhm Freshman Of The Year for THAT conference has had snaps in That conference.
2) Gunner has been going against UGA’s Defense including sometimes the One’s in practice every day for going into his third year now. The young man from UNLV has been going against well UNLV’s Defense in practices.
And lastly as You pointed out the young man from UNLV would have to “learn” the O, Gunner already knows it or certainly should.
I’m sure you have your reasons and I respect that, but you certainly seem quick to discard Gunner Stockton. I Believe Gunner shows Huge potential. And he has Been at UGA working hard and waiting his time. What kind of message would it send to our Current QBs if Kirby brings a guy in from outside and just promotes them Over our current guys ??
So If and more like When Kirby does get a guy from the TP, that guy whoever he might be needs to demonstrate Very Clearly that he is the Better QB, else we’ll see guys like Gunner hit the TP, then on down the road possibly Puglisi as well. I’m NOT opposed to using the TP, but when it comes to usurping guys Already here, any TP guy better show that he is Clearly the better player else it’s a big time snub to the guy already here.
And IF the guy is Truly better we’d need to be prepared to see another guy Leave by hitting the TP. Then the merry go round starts all over again because your right back to only three Scholly QBs. 🤪 Rabun County HS is very competitive year to year in the HS ranks, folks here say that Gunner is the best QB to ever pass through their doors. No pun intended on pass. I’d be careful were I Kirby not to drive him to the TP. Just sayin…..
All of those accomplishments happened while playing in the Mountain West Conference, that's what "tells me all I need to know about his ceiling".
His QBR was horrible against far inferior talent. And more INTs.
Spot On DawgDad....I might add, In the words of UGA's poet laureate, Michael Stipe: "Consider this" ....you may be 6'4", 220ibs, a canon of an arm, 4-5 stars from HS and a year of stats showing out against glorified HS programs in the MT West.......BUT, if your heart and soul isn't committed to the work required of the toughest developmental program in America, take your "Portal" Party else where! The Dawgs have who we have in the QB room and that's all that we need!
This right here! I got a group chat with buddies and darn it if I don’t have to tell them once per week, “that’s interesting; but it’s not exciting for us til they enter Butts-Mehre, get issued their pads, and they lace up their cleats/lock in their chin strap and get to work on those Woodruff practice fields.”
His QBR is down because of the INT's. As young players tend to force the ball. (and some older players ;) The fact remains that he had more passing yards and the same completion % as SBIV did in '21 as a 3rd year starter. Maiava also has more passing yards and a higher completion % than Will Howard did in his 4th year starting at KS St. Will Howard is the TP QB every team was hot for that is transferring to start at Ohio State.
According to Sports-Reference.com Maiava's freshman QBR is 147.1. SBIV's career QBR is 160.9. Maiava's QBR is higher than Will Howards in 3 of his 4 years at KS St including his 4th year as starter. Not a bad start for a freshman.
His freshman rushing total of 277 yards is more than SBIV had in any single year at UGA.
Regardless of the level of competition ( or level of his OL, RB's and WR's) that is a solid start to build on and grow from. Admit it, the kid is a player. Why would CKS take his commitment if he wasn't? Maiava's starting experience at UNLV was a higher level than SBIV's 1st year starting experience at JC.
This player has the same path to starting as any player on the UGA squad. Never said he was better than anybody. But his path to QB1 is clear. Be better than everybody else. That's how CKS runs the team. Didn't we all learn that watching SBIV's path to QB1?
Like I said on another thread I’m Dawgs TEAM first fan. Gunner Stockton fan second ( after Beck as he Is the starter). But there’s No guarantee or even close that this kid from UNLV would have out performed Gunner. Maybe Kirby was thinking of making Him the #3 guy not the other way around ??
All I’m saying is ANY QB that Kirby reels in better Clearly out shine Gunner and down the road Puglisi to else it will be prompting them to leave. Neither Gunner nor Puglisi is gonna set on the bench and watch guys come in and bypass them. They’ll leave and No one could blame them.
Kirby knows Far better what he’s doing than I do, I’m no football coach or expert. But I have a reasonable dose of common sense. If I’ve already been at a school busting my butt in class and in practices, learning the system etc. and even more so Have had some real game snaps even in garbage time in the SEC. And some guy from the TP comes in and just bypasses me I’m gonna feel snubbed and leave. Why would I stay with no inkling of Ever being The Man no matter how long I stay ??
SO these things said a TP guy better Show Clearly in practices he’s the better QB. Stats from another school in an inferior conference don’t really tell much about how he’d be in the SEC.
SO let’s say a guy from the TP comes in and Does show that he’s Clearly better than Gunner. And promotes over Gunner. Well I won’t be shocked if Gunner hit the TP. Which would put the Dawgs right back at only three scholarship guys.
OK so the TP guy comes in and Really shines Big Time, then God Forbid ( and I sure mean that) Both Beck and the great guy from the TP get injured. So then your down to the very talented but Inexperienced Puglisi. Season is pretty much shot at the point. Same scenario as Beck and Gunner Both getting injured. So I don’t understand Kirby’s logic on this at all.
If it’s Just to spread the ball around to UGA’s second, third, and fourth string Defenders the preferred walk-on guy should be able to handle those duties. I know it was vs a very thin FSU, but they Still had most if not All their Defensive guys in, and Gunner shredded them using primarily Second and Third string guys from the UGA O.
My advice to Kirby just be Extremely careful in your selection as Gunner shows Huge potential and was rated as such coming out of HS. I’m gonna support Any player that is a Dawg come game day !!