Carson Beck on being Georgia football veteran quarterback: ‘I’m expected to lead’

For the first time in his Georgia career, Carson Beck is the old guy in the Georgia quarterback room.

With Stetson Bennett off to the NFL, Beck is the most veteran quarterback on Georgia’s roster. He’s still yet to make a collegiate start but the hope is that will come later this season when the Bulldogs start the 2023 season against UT-Martin.

For now, Beck is doing all the little things to put himself in a position to win the starting quarterback job. That includes becoming a team leader.

“I feel like there’s a lot expected of me,” Beck told Aaron Murray of The Players’ Lounge. “In meetings, questions are directed at me, and I’m expected to know that. In workouts, I’m expected to lead and do things the right way and show others by example. During runs, I’m supposed to finish through the line and show people how it’s done. You know what I’m saying? It’s a lot of fun, and I’m trying to accept the role as it comes. I really enjoy it a lot.”

Murray knows what Beck is trying to do, as Murray was a four-year starting quarterback for Georgia. Murray holds most of the school records, though Bennett did claim the school’s single-season passing yards record in 2022. Bennett was also a Heisman Finalist last season.

Replacing him won’t be easy, as Beck will battle Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton for the starting job at Georgia. Beck was Georgia’s No. 2 quarterback last season, putting forth impressive showings in extended action against Vanderbilt and TCU.

As if winning a quarterback battle wasn’t difficult enough for Beck, he’ll also be working with a new offensive coordinator. Mike Bobo takes over for Todd Monken, as the latter departed for the Baltimore Ravens.

Beck isn’t totally unfamiliar with Bobo though, as he was an analyst with Georgia last season. He’ll get to work with the quarterbacks in a more hands-on approach this season, as Bobo will also be Georgia’s quarterbacks coach.

“When he got named OC I was very excited about that because it’s in-house,” Beck told Murray. “It’s not like we’re taking somebody from out, so I was like, ‘Okay, we might keep some of the same stuff. Obviously he’s going to put his spin on it,’ but not going out of our organization and keeping someone that has been a part of Georgia for such a long time. I really enjoy, and obviously we’ve met and talked, but it’ll be a lot of fun. I think our offense will have a new spin on it, for sure.”

Beck will have plenty of talent around him, as Georgia brings back one of the best offensive lines in the country. Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey also return after being Georgia’s top two receivers last season. The Bulldogs also went out and added Dominic Lovett and RaRa Thomas to the wide receiver room via the transfer portal.

Georgia will begin its quarterback competition on Tuesday as that is when the Bulldogs begin spring practice. Georgia fans will get their next look at Beck on April 15, when the Bulldogs hold their annual spring game.

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