Cubelic called a separate on the field broadcast of the game on ESPN.
We get news coming out from the other TV side that Carson Beck was not going to go. We see Gunner Stockton warming up we're like all right well this will be interesting and I'm just going to try to explain this to you guys the way that I saw it. And Harry Douglas saw it this way. Marty saw it. Ryan McGee saw it. Like we all...... I've talked to Roman about it since today. Chris Doering was with me today. He was there. He saw it. There are certain guys on football teams that they just do everything right the effort is there. The mentality is there. they might not have the experience or the ability that the guy in front of them has. Maybe they're not just not the best fit right now. They need a little more time or the other guys just playing well ,but everybody roots for them and everybody wants them to do good things and wants good things for them. Doesn't matter black or white, whether you're from Inner City or Country.... like they always guys that just fit in and people see what they do probably because they don't try to make people see it.
Now I called one of Gunner's games in high school. I talked to his High School coaches. I talked to some of his teammates. People around that program have a decent idea of his personality. Watching him play in high school and trying to run people over and essentially be a fullback if he had to. He set all the passing records, but like just tough as nails and the things that his coach has said about him and seeing how he's operated the couple of times he has been in the game.
I understood what was happening on the Georgia sideline. It was like okay. This is it. He's going in there. There was this new life that just started to explode. Guys were bopping up and down, patting each other on the head, getting behind him. There was an excitement within that team. I'm not pointing any finger saying anything about Carson Beck. I don't know if this has anything to do with Carson Beck whatsoever. I'm just telling you that something that should have been a massive downer...... something that should have pulled this team down..... something that should have just clamped this team to the ground and like not let them move forward was the exact opposite.
I think it was an energy boost I think there was some belief. I think there was confidence. I think there was hope. I think there was want... maybe want more than anything else. Maybe just guys that were like I've seen this kid busting his ass doing the right thing, coming to meetings, coming to film. No one talks about him. He gets no recognition, but this guy does everything the right way, so you just want him to do good things and you want good things to happen to him. I think he's one of those guys. I don't know this. I have no reason to know this, but that's my perception of what it was and after it was happening that's even more my perception. So Gunner comes into the game, starts the second half, and you're thinking "Man it's a good Texas defense. It's a good front. How are they going to operate right out of the gate? He walks up and sees the double mug and he checks it. Theey get into something different. Quick little pass into the flat to Etienne. Love it. Make life easy. Don't over complicate things. So then you come back. You're thinking all right, how are we going to make this thing go for the young man? Give him a bootleg. He throws it away. Run play. Run play. Another boot and that's the play that he hits Lucky on the sideline. Kust a heck of a throw on the run. Drops back again. Scramble. Hand it off to Trevor and touchdown! Here we go. So what do I like about that?
Well first and foremost Bobo didn't over complicate it. I believe it was the next series there were two Zone read plays where if you go back and watch him, he has a ton of space in's crashing. He could run for 20 yards before he would make contact. What I love about it is one: you're saving and preserving him. I know he took the shot later. But two: those are "call it and run its" You're not giving him the option to keep the football and even make a mistake potentially or do anything wrong. "Hand the ball off and we'll live to fight another day or we'll see how this goes. It's all good and we can add more a little bit later. move the pocket form they had multiple Sprint outs roll outs which I think are great for a guy in that situation. All right that was really good. Some of the quick throws... like actually you know what the second play was? The little comeback route that he hit to Arian Smith and just a dart right in his chest. Smith catches it. Also big. Had to happen.
Huge because he had drops and so you let Gunner throw to him to show the confidence the coaching staff has in him to catch it and say "All right kid, we're with you. We're going to help you out here today. We're going to do our part. It gave him some confidence. Then they're rolling. He had multiple scrambles, tucked his head tried to run people over. Great job on the run.
He had the one play. He was trying to get away from pressure and made the one throw..... one of the worst throws I've ever seen. I think he was trying to throw it away. There's no way that deep crosser was going to be there. I think he was trying to throw it away, short armed it and just maybe it slipped out of his hand. Bad throw. Bad ball. Probably should have been ball game right there because if the receiver..... if you watch the DB in front of the kid that picks it, if decides to block that thing has a chance to go to the house.
So then he bounces back and makes a couple more plays. The one scramble where he just gets crushed, I didn't think it was targeting. But I was right there standing by the goal post in the end zone when I saw the hit. I thought it was at the time and I wasn't sure he was going to get up, but it just shows you again like helmet pops off he's trying to get up right away. Do I think he was somewhat concussed based on the way he looked? Yes! I was standing 10 yards away from him. It was a massive hit and the fact that he was being pulled down and couldn't protect himself at all like that also? I think it added to the gravity of that blow. It was a bad hit, but he's a tough kid. I think based on what I have been told and what I know and what I've heard I think it's going to be his show through the playoffs.
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