The Georgia Bulldogs are ready to trade in offseason workouts, meetings, and conditioning for the grind of fall camp. With the 2026 season approaching, expectations remain high in Athens as Kirby Smart’s program looks to build on another successful year.
Georgia enters fall camp with a veteran-led roster, a returning starting quarterback in Gunner Stockton, and a defense looking to maintain the standard that made the Bulldogs one of the nation’s premier programs.
For linebacker Raylen Wilson, the message heading into camp is simple: continue improving.
“I would say we just keep trying to get better every day and set a new standard every day and never let it drop,” Wilson said during SEC Media Days.
Now among the leaders on Georgia’s defense, Wilson has set an individual goal of reaching 100 tackles for the first time in his collegiate career. His focus, however, remains on helping the Bulldogs win.
“I feel like that – with most of it being tackles for loss – I feel like that would help the team,” Wilson said.
The linebacker has seen Georgia’s defensive identity remain consistent despite roster turnover. The Bulldogs lost key contributors from last season, but Wilson said he believes the program’s culture allows younger players to step in and uphold the expectations.
While the Bulldogs continue replacing veteran pieces, Smart said he believes the team’s leadership group is among the strongest he’s ever had. That starts with Stockton, who returns as Georgia’s starting quarterback after taking over late last season.
“Gunner Stockton is doing that. He embodies what leadership is, and he doesn’t do it through his mouth,” Smart said. “When he gets around the players, they know. They see the toughness he plays with.”
Stockton said the team has used the offseason to build chemistry and prepare for the challenges ahead.
“Last year definitely didn’t end up the way we wanted. We came off the SEC win in the championship, but definitely didn’t end up where we wanted,” Stockton said. “But we had a great offseason so far. We put a lot of sweat in the bucket, and we’ve connected a lot.”
A major focus for Stockton during the off-season was improving his body ahead of a full schedule as the starter. He said he worked with a nutritionist and focused on getting into the best shape possible.
“I’ve kind of got to where I’m weighing like 217,” Stockton said. “During the season I dropped down to about 207. So just trying to get my body where it needs to be and get in the training room and stretching, doing all the stretching I need to do.”
Georgia’s offense will also rely on continuing development of the relationship between Stockton and Georgia center Drew Bobo.
Bobo, who missed time last season due to injury, is back for his senior year and believes a strong connection between the quarterback and center is critical.
“The center-quarterback relationship’s really important because we do all the communicating,” Bobo said. “And really our whole time here, we’ve been kind of together, going through the program and playing together.”
Smart pointed to Bobo as another example of the toughness and leadership Georgia values.
“He is tough, he has been through a significant injury, and he is back from that injury,” Smart said. “He also embodies the toughness that we want to have within our program.”
As fall camp begins, Georgia’s goals remain the same.
“What we focus on in Georgia is what wins football games,” Smart said. “We love to grind it out, play physical football, be explosive on offense, be explosive on defense by how you create turnovers and how you create sacks.”
The Bulldogs will enter camp with plenty of questions to answer, including the development of young players and the progression of position groups like wide receiver. But Smart believes the foundation remains strong.
“The consistency and performance are probably what I’m most proud of over the last 10 to 11 years,” he said. “Can we repeatedly do and be successful, regardless of who comes in and out of your program?”