ATHENS — Georgia has announced that quarterback Carson Beck has an elbow injury in his throwing (right) arm and is seeking treatment options. No timetable was released for his recovery or return.
Several media outlets have reported that Beck has an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury in his elbow but the school has not commented on those reports.
An ulnar collateral ligament injury is a tear or damage to the ligament on the inner side of the elbow that connects the upper arm to the forearm. UCL injuries can occur due to overuse or a traumatic blow to the elbow.
The school has confirmed Beck underwent an MRI on Sunday. His status for the Sugar Bowl is uncertain.
Georgia also announced that starting punter Brett Thorson is out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury in his non-kicking leg.
“Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers,” head coach Kirby Smart said. “I’m confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way.”
Beck suffered the injury on the final play of the first half of the SEC Championship game. Beck did return for the final play of the game, where he handed the ball off to Trevor Etienne for a 4-yard touchdown to win the game in overtime.
On Sunday, Smart did share what he had seen from Beck in a team meeting.
“I think he was pretty somber. A tough deal for him in terms of not being able to go out there and finish in the second half. But he’s also excited for his teammates and happy that it ended the way it did, and ironically he got to be on the field for that.”
Beck threw for an SEC-best 28 touchdowns this season and 3,485 yards. He also had 12 interceptions, which led the SEC.
Beck does have another year of eligibility remaining due to the COVID-19 season. It remains to be seen if he will use it or if he will declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. He is viewed as a potential first-round pick but not a quarterback expected to go at the very top of the draft.
Beck has started every game for Georgia over the past two seasons. The Bulldogs are 24-3 in those starts.
With Beck potentially out, Gunner Stockton would take over as the starting quarterback for Georgia. He relieved Beck in the SEC Championship game.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Stockton completed 12 of his 16 pass attempts for 71 yards and an interception. He added eight rushing yards too. Smart also provided some insight on Stockton and what he brings to the offense.
“There’s not a game we don’t go into that we don’t have a plan for Gunner if he were to have to play,” Smart said. “I mean, when he’s your backup quarterback, he’s got to be ready to play, but he functions and operates really well within our current offense. We don’t think we have to change much in terms of that. He does give us the capability of doing some different things with his athleticism, and I thought Mike and those guys did a good job using that.
“The team has a lot of confidence in Gunner. He’s very smart, very intelligent. So I don’t know that it’s a lot of change. It’s probably more picking the volume correctly in terms of not having everything that we have with Carson, but having things that fit Gunner.”
Stockton has thrown just 32 passes on the season and completed 25 of them. Were he to start in the Sugar Bowl, it would be the first start of his college career.
As for replacing Thorson, kicker Charlie Ham came in on the fake punt. The Bulldogs also have Drew Miller as an option, who the Bulldogs signed in the 2023 signing class.
“He (Miller) would be our punter, and we think he’s really talented, and he does a great job, and he’s worked really hard to get the opportunity,” Smart said. “He punts every day in practice and does a tremendous job. He’s a very highly recruited kid who we’ve got a lot of confidence in.”
