COTTEN: ‘Second Fiddle’

Published 8:36 am Wednesday, December 11, 2024

The UGA Bulldogs beat the Texas Longhorns for the SEC Championship. It wasn’t easy. Both are great teams with some of the best of college athletes. 

I won’t recount the game here, except to make an observation. Georgia’s starting quarterback, Carson Beck, was injured at the end of the first half, with Texas leading by just a field goal. Texas had their own problems, but the Longhorn’s offense had gained far more yards than Georgia had, 193-61. The Dogs’ running game had lost more yards than they had gained. 

Against such a strong foe, the prospects for winning dim dramatically when a team has to rely on a second-string quarterback with very limited playing time for an entire second half. But before I move on, let’s look at how Gunner Stockton came to be the backup. 

After Stetson Bennett left following the Dog’s second National Championship, the next quarterback up was either Carson Beck or Brock Vandagriff. As it became apparent that Beck had won the starting quarterback position, rather than patiently waiting as a backup, Vandagriff opted to leave the team and transfer to rival Kentucky. There he had a difficult season, finishing last in the SEC, at 4-8 overall, 1-7 in the conference, though he did get to start.

That move opened a slot for sophomore Gunner Stockton, from the tiny little Tiger community of Rabun County, Georgia, population 574. A very talented player, he too could have transferred. He chose to stay and be ready to play when needed. He was needed for the whole second half of the SEC Championship game, and play he did! He added a spark to the UGA offense, and though he wasn’t perfect, he led the team to a thrilling overtime victory. The Bulldogs are now SEC Champions, and the number two seed in the new 12-team Playoffs, behind only Oregon. 

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not criticizing Vandagriff. Even if he’d stayed at UGA, Gunner may well have beaten him out for backup duties. Maybe not. At one time Brock seemed to have the edge. 

I say all this to make an important point. In some ways, sports is like music, even life itself. When famed composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein was asked which instrument of the orchestra was hardest to play, he wisely replied, “Second fiddle.” 

It’s not easy to patiently wait your turn to shine, and yet to constantly prepare so thoroughly that when your chance does come, you’re ready. The grass is not always greener somewhere else. 

Next time you are tempted to take your ball and go play elsewhere, remember Gunner. And Brock.

John Cotten 

Milledgeville