JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Carson Beck had waited for Saturday his whole life.
There probably aren’t many kids who grow up fantasizing about playing at EverBank Stadium. It isn’t steeped in tradition like Lambeau Field and the NFL team that inhabits it, the Jaguars, isn’t exactly the Green Bay Packers.
But Beck was among the exclusive few who dreamed of competing on this field – in the Georgia-Florida game. The Jacksonville native, who starred as a quarterback just 18 miles away at Mandarin High School, had only played at the venue once. His Pop Warner team was squashed here many moons ago.
Beck is 1-1 at EverBank now. He and his Bulldogs eviscerated the Gators 43-20 to continue Georgia’s hold on what’s becoming an increasingly tepid rivalry.
“I was more excited (than nervous),” Beck said. “Then obviously the anticipation of it with the bye week before, then the whole week before this game. Having to wait two weeks for a game that I’ve looked forward to for so long.”
Beck, who had an estimated 40 to 50 guests in attendance, added: “It was a very emotional moment for me running out on the field, seeing all the fans in the stadium split red and blue and orange. Just go out and play the game as I always have. And it’s obviously an even better feeling to come out with a win.”
The final score painted a more generous picture for Florida. The gap felt wider than 23 points. Georgia was in complete command since taking a 10-7 lead on Beck’s 41-yard touchdown to Ladd McConkey in the first quarter.
And as the clock ticked to zero, an emphatic “yeah!” blasted through the press box. It was Bulldogs offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, jubilant as he exited his booth. His unit provided constant reason to cheer, and it started with the quarterback.
Beck’s final numbers: 19-for-28 passing for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Just as the score didn’t fully portray Georgia’s dominance, Beck’s line – as nice as it looks – still didn’t totally depict his efficiency. It should also be noted he achieved this without all-world tight end Brock Bowers, who’s essentially been a one-man show for the Bulldogs offense at times.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be too big for (Beck),” McConkey said. “This is something he’s waited on his whole life. He’s prepared for it. He went out and did an awesome job.”
What a showing for Beck against his childhood favorite team. Perhaps what’s most impressive is that Beck never felt compelled to play Superman. Coach Kirby Smart has repeatedly stressed that Beck needs to let plays come to him and be OK with the occasional punt. He isn’t asked to carry the offense on his shoulders.
“You have first, second and third down; you don’t have to make the big play every single time,” Beck said. “It’s OK to take the checkdown. Obviously, you don’t want to be a check-down warrior, as some would say, but it’s OK to throw the ball away and play (the next) down.”
Beck’s performance reminded me of something former Bulldogs offensive coordinator Todd Monken said during our conversation in August about Beck’s predecessor, Stetson Bennett IV.
“The best thing I say about Stetson is two years ago, we won with him,” Monken told me. “Last year, we won it because of him.”
Beck is more 2021-22 Bennett than the go-win-it version that emerged during the second title run. Georgia doesn’t need Beck to be Cam Newton, Joe Burrow or Bennett’s final evolution. It needs him to be the proverbial point guard, distribute the ball to their playmakers – they have plenty even without Bowers – and simply not put the team in precarious positions.
He demonstrated growth against the Gators. Some might’ve been perplexed by a couple of casual tosses out of bounds, but those were the right plays. He pushed the ball without endangering it. His timely chunk plays allowed Georgia to assemble its early lead and protect it as Florida continued tripping over itself. He showed a nice feel, putting exquisite touch on some throws and firing darts on others.
“I don’t worry about Carson,” Smart said. “Apparently you guys (the media) do, but I don’t worry about Carson. He’s very confident. He’s calm. He understands football. He’s never real high or real low. He studies really hard, texts questions all week. He studies and meets with coach Bobo. He puts a plan together and he makes good decisions.
“He’s continued to improve by not putting us in bad situations. There are things that aren’t on the stat sheet that I don’t have time to explain that he does an elite job. Run checks, looks, putting us in the best play, the decision to throw the RPO or hand the ball off. There’s not really a value you can put on that.”
Beck engineered seven scoring drives, five of which finished with touchdowns. For Georgia’s first touchdown, Beck found McConkey, whose back looked just fine as he quickly turned and outran the Gators’ defense. Beck’s second touchdown toss was a beautiful 17-yard lob to Dillon Bell in the corner of the end zone.
Here’s where Beck deserves more credit. He hasn’t always been sharp, but he’s saved his finest play for the more pressure-packed points. When Georgia needed him in the fourth quarter against Auburn, Beck responded. When Georgia hosted its toughest opponent to that point, Kentucky, Beck was sensational.
In Jacksonville, a situation ripe for Beck to be jittery and nervous, he was calm and cool. Beck played like a quarterback who wasn’t just in control but also understood he didn’t need to sling it all over the field. He simply kept himself even and didn’t fall into the trap of grandiose thinking.
In Georgia’s games against the Wildcats and Gators, Beck is 47-for-63 (75%) for 704 yards and six touchdowns against one interception. That bodes well for him in Georgia’s looming slate that includes Missouri, Ole Miss and Tennessee in Knoxville.
“(Beck) has been awesome,” McConkey said. “He’s a facilitator out there. We go as he goes. He’s done an awesome job of leading us. We’re super lucky to have him. … He’s gotten better and better every game, getting more confidence and swagger.”
Former Bulldogs quarterback Aaron Murray opined on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Beck could be a first-round pick if he enters the NFL draft. Maybe that’s getting ahead of ourselves, but the mere mention of such scenario shows how Beck has impressed. He deserves to be on NFL evaluators radars and he should absolutely be considered among the better quarterbacks in the country.
I’m no Bill Walsh or Ozzie Newsome, but I think Beck can show even more. Georgia just doesn’t demand it, at least not yet. If Beck was in a worse situation, maybe the draft buzz would’ve really taken off by now because his team would require him carrying a greater burden.
But he’s instead in a unique position, surrounded by arguably the best talent in the country. Everyone involved is better for it. And as people keep waiting for Georgia to slip, they just keep rolling along. The next month will truly test Beck, but the evidence suggests he’s ready.
If he is, there’s a good chance the Bulldogs will enter SEC Championship weekend undefeated.
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