ATHENS -- A day after confirming his plans play in the Orange Bowl, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck decided he’ll play all next season for the Bulldogs.
Beck made the announcement in a social-media post Monday evening. He wrote: “My friends and family have helped put me in a situation to have options for my future. However, the NFL can wait one more year. I am returning to UGA for my senior season. We need everyone’s support in Miami to close this season out the right way!”
In related news, Dylan Raiola announced that he was reneging on his commitment to Georgia to sign with Nebraska. A longtime pledge to the Bulldogs’ 2024 recruiting class, the 5-star prospect and No. 1-rated quarterback, went to Lincoln, Nebraska, on an official visit this weekend, at which time he committed to the Cornhuskers. Raiola’s father attended Nebraska and his uncle is Nebraska’s offensive line coach.
It is believed that the departures of both Raiola and Georgia backup quarterback Brock Vandagriff, who transferred to Kentucky, are related to Beck’s decision to return to the UGA for a fifth year of eligibility. A redshirt junior, Beck projected as a first- or second-day NFL Draft pick.
That is overwhelmingly good news for the Bulldogs, who will be looking to build next season’s offense around Beck’s unique passing talents. With two years of eligibility remaining, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beck passed for 3,973 yards and 25 touchdowns while leading the Georgia to a 12-1 record in his first season as a starter. Beck needs just 155 yards passing against Florida State in the Orange Bowl to record the Bulldogs’ best single-season mark in history. Stetson Bennett currently holds that mark with 4,127 yards in 2022. At 72.43%, Beck also is in position to break Bennett’s record for completion percentage in a season (68.28).
The No. 6-ranked Bulldogs play the No. 5-ranked Seminoles (13-0) in the Orange Bowl in Miami on Dec. 30 (4 p.m., ESPN).
Beck was at Academy Sports and Outdoors in Athens on Sunday to meet youth from the local Boys and Girls Club and accompany them on a Christmas shopping spree. He was asked then whether he’d made a decision regarding turning pro or coming back to Georgia.
“As far as a decision goes, I’m not sure yet,” Beck said Sunday. “I’m just actively thinking. But right now, I’m focused on trying to beat Florida State.”
Asked when he aimed to make a decision, Beck said, “I don’t know. There’s not really a timeline.”
Actually, there was a timeline. Underclassmen have until Jan. 15 to declare for the draft.
It seemed likely Beck would return to Georgia. He and his parents met with Georgia coach Kirby Smart two weeks ago to discuss the terms and conditions of a possible return. By then, Vandagriff already had entered the portal and communications between Raiola and Nebraska resumed in earnest.
With Beck back and Vandagriff and Raiola out of the picture, that leaves the Bulldogs with Gunner Stockton, a rising third-year sophomore, and true freshman signee Ryan Puglisi (pooh-GLEE-see) as the only other quarterbacks on scholarship. Georgia also has several walk-on quarterbacks, led by rising senior walk-on Jackson Muschamp.
The winter national signing period for football begins Wednesday and the Bulldogs have been actively recruiting other quarterback prospects both from the high school ranks and in the transfer portal. But, at this point, it is clear that Georgia has hitched its wagon to Beck when it comes to its championship pursuits for 2024.
In the meantime, the Bulldogs already have been preparing for their Orange Bowl matchup against FSU. Informal practices will graduated into formal preparations on Monday. Georgia will conduct full-contact workouts later this week.
“We’ve had practice and stuff, very laid back,” Beck said. “As we get closer to the game, we’ll attack more and start to lock in on Florida State. The last two weeks has been more about us and trying to fix the little things we can improve on.”
Like Georgia, which fell from No. 1 to sixth after losing to Alabama 27-24 in the SEC Championship game, the Seminoles entered the postseason feeling wronged for being dropped out of the College Football Playoff’s top four positions Despite winning the ACC title game to remain undefeated. Boo Coorigan, the selection committee chair, said that was because FSU was “a different team” with quarterback Jordan Travis sidelined with a season-ending injury. The Seminoles, however, won their last three games without him.
