Kirby Smart Doubles Down on Praise for QB Carson Beck

After reviewing the tape from Georgia's win over UT-Martin, Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart reiterated his praise for the play of Carson Beck in his first career start.

The offensive revolution that has swept through all levels of football over the last decade plus has led to an increased emphasis being placed on the quarterback position, which has, in turn, led to an enhanced degree of scrutiny of every team's starting quarterback. No team, even the two-time defending national champion, is immune to this reality as a 21/31, 294-yard, and one touchdown performance by new Georgia starting quarterback Carson Beck was not enough for the redshirt junior to escape criticism from some within the Georgia fanbase following his first career start. Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart, however, has been complimentary of his new starting quarterback in the aftermath of Beck's first collegiate start. 

was complimentary of his new starting quarterback following the game on Saturday night and doubled down on that assessment on Monday. 

In his post-game press conference following Georgia's 48-7 season-opening win over UT-Martin, Smart lauded Beck's maiden performance as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback.

"I was very proud of Carson [Beck] in his first start. I thought he had great composure - really that was almost the epitome of every scrimmage he had," Smart said. "He threw the ball away when he had to, he hit the spots when he had to, he made good decisions, he did not put us at risk, he made good checks, he did some really good things, and I am really proud of him. We've got to get some more help around him, weapons and get some guys healthy, but proud of what he did."

Georgia starting QB Carson Beck celebrates after running for a touchdown in the second quarter of Georgia's season-opening win over UT-Martin. 

However, Smart's post-game praise for Beck's performance against UT-Martin was not enough to quell the criticism coming from some corners of the Bulldog fan base, leading the Georgia head coach to defiantly double down on his adulatory assessment of Beck's play against the Skyhawks when meeting with the media on Monday.

“I don't understand. I mean, I don't understand you guys sometimes," Smart said. "I thought Carson played -- I thought just like I did when I looked at it -- I came in there and talked to y'all Saturday night. I thought Carson played really well, composed. I'm trying to think of the throws that you were just awful our erratic and I didn't see that. The one third down he admittedly threw the ball a little bit behind Dom thinking Dom was sitting down and Dom broke in, which Dom was correct and he missed him on that throw. Outside of that there will be incompletions in games. There will be looks that maybe they fool you with, you didn't see in the scouting report. But his run check game, his carrying out his fakes, his decision in the pocket, him throwing the ball away, I thought the guy for a first start, played really well.”

Beck will have his own opportunity to quiet the critics with his play when the Bulldogs take on Ball State on Saturday, Sep.9 at Noon.

Other Georgia News:

• WATCH: Kirby Smart Previews Week 2, Talks Carson Beck's Performance
• Kirby Smart Updates Injury Report Heading Into Week 2
• LSU Finds Out it Isn't the "Two-Time National Champion Georgia Bulldogs" in Loss to FSU

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