Carson Beck: How He Earned His Spot At Georgia
From Jacksonville, Fl., former 4-star quarterback Carson Beck was a highly touted recruit coming out of high school. Being heavily recruited by Nick Saban and Alabama early on, Beck eventually signed with Georgia and continues to earn his spot.
Beck transferred to Mandarin High School after committing to Alabama leading into his junior year. He led a previous (2-8) football team to an 8A Florida state championship and the first state championship in school history. Throwing for 3,546 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, earning the honor of being named Florida's Mr. Football. Beck began to see his recruitment pick up steam.
Following his junior season, Beck picked up four scholarship offers and had seven visits with coaches and schools. One school that was taking a heavy swing at the 2020 recruit was Miami. Offering him in December 2018, the Canes also had him out for their Junior Day in February 2019. following his Junior Day visit with Miami, the Crimson Tide had a decommitment from their 2020 recruiting class after seven months as their quarterback.
Carson Beck Throws a Strike at Georgia Practice / CREDIT: Tony Walsh/UGAA
Three more offers followed after the de-commitment, as Beck heard from Penn State, Purdue, and eventually, Georgia offered Beck in late February of his junior year. Beck only took one visit from there, attending the Dawgs Junior Day on March 2nd. Committing the next day, Beck played out his senior year with Mandarin and signed to Georgia during the early signing period in December. Early-enrolling at Georgia for the Spring '20 semester, Beck was officially a Dawg.
Since coming into Georgia, the QB room for the Dawgs has been a roller coaster ride. In Beck's freshman season, he saw at least four possible names be mentioned to play QB that year. Jamie Newman and JT Daniels were the new transfers, bringing in excellent talent and experience, sure to compete for the starting job from day 1. Then the season comes closer, and D'wan Mathis starts popping up, exciting Dawgs fans everywhere. Then the season rolls around, Newman opts out because of COVID-19 concerns, Mathis doesn't pan out to what the hype was, and it was down to Daniels and Stetson Bennett, a former walk-on, for the rest of the year.
After redshirting his first year, Beck had more room to showcase himself heading into 2021, with only Daniels and Bennett in front of him. Beck saw more action during the 2021 season, throwing his first two collegiate touchdown passes against UAB and Charleston Southern. "The Mailman," Bennett, eventually led the Dawgs to their first national championship title in 40 seasons. Some began pondering if one of the QBs would transfer, Daniels or Beck.
Daniels ended up leaving, hoping to get his rhythm back at West Virginia; Beck stepped into his new role as backup QB for the Dawgs in 2022. The backup spot wasn't given to Beck. Instead, he had to earn it; with former 5-star QB Brock Vandagriff joining the QB room. The 2022 season saw Bennett lead the Dawgs to yet another national championship, and Beck earned himself more playing time. The redshirt sophomore played in seven games and completed 26 of 35 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns.
Heading into his junior season, Beck faces another battle this spring, the battle for QB1. With Bennett graduating, Smart now turns to Beck and Vandagriff to compete for the QB1 job, just like he did in Beck's first year with Mathis, Daniels, and Bennett. Although Beck has more experience and time with Smart than Vandagriff has had, some may say Vandagriff's sheer talent may be too much to look over. One thing for sure this coming G-Day is that Dawgs fans will be watching a true QB competition.
