The Everlasting Impact Carson Beck Could Have in 2023
With the 2023 college football season rapidly approaching, the Georgia Bulldogs remain in a prime position to make yet another run at a national title. The reigning national champs return a multitude of key contributors from a season ago along with a set of new faces that appear to be ready to take on the task of playing up to the level that the Bulldogs have now for the past couple of seasons. One player that looks to be stepping into a new role this year is quarterback Carson Beck.
Head coach Kirby Smart has not officially tabbed Beck as the starter, but all signs are pointing to Beck being the guy. Due to the fact that Georgia will be rolling out a new starter this season, there have been some questions about if the new quarterback will be able to sustain the offensive success that the Bulldogs have had over the past couple of seasons. And while that is of course a fair question to ask, Beck stepping into the spotlight has a lot higher implications than just what he will be able to accomplish in a single season.
Looking back at who has played quarterback for Georgia over the last two decades, there are some great names on the list. Matthew Stafford who is a former number one overall pick, Aaron Murray who put up record-setting numbers during his time in Athens, and of course the latest being Stetson Bennett who brought two national championships to his home state. All of those quarterbacks also had a similar trajectory during their time in college, in the sense that they played for multiple seasons, developed their craft over time, and continuous progression was on full display. That's not the case for Beck, who doesn't have a single start to his name heading into his fourth season at Georgia.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) during Georgia’s practice session in Athens, Ga., on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)
Since 2000, there are only two Georgia quarterbacks whose situations are comparable to Beck's. Hutson Mason and DJ Shockley, both sat and waited for their opportunity to earn the starting job, played for one season, and then began the next chapter in their career. Now Beck has the chance to be the modern-day example of that while also proving that sitting and waiting your turn at Georgia as a quarterback, even in today's era of the game, is a viable option and can pay off in the end.
Georgia, specifically under coach Smart, has already proven that quarterbacks will and can be developed into draftable players by the end of their careers. Jake Fromm and Bennett showed that. But a successful season from Beck that ultimately results in him being selected in the NFL draft would spark a new conversation around the program. That it is possible to be a one-and-done passer at Georgia, and that hitting the portal after just a season or two may not be the best option after all.
It would specifically impact Georgia's incoming 2024 quarterback class which consists of Dylan Raiola and Ryan Puglisi. Both are highly sought-after quarterbacks in this year's class and both are set to sign on the dotted line to play at Georgia. The Bulldogs have already done a tremendous job in regard to holding on to their quarterbacks and keeping them on the roster, and a successful season from Beck as a one-year starter would only further solidify the narrative of why players should ride it out and stay the course.
Obviously, Beck will have the opportunity to bring a third straight national title to the school and to add another name to the school's draft history, but the implications of his upcoming season are much deeper than that. He could pry open the discussion of while the transfer portal might look enticing, Georgia's coaching staff will get you in the right spot when it's all said and done. Even in just one singular season.
Other Georgia News:
- UGA Demands Retraction from AJC
- 2023 Season Preview: Can South Carolina Pull Off the Upset?
- Brock Bowers Slotted as Mid First-Round Pick To Start Season
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