Carson Beck was a major talking point last week around the Georgia football program. Beck was one of three player representatives for the Bulldogs at the SEC media days in Dallas. He was also voted First Team All-SEC.
But he wasn’t the only quarterback that Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spoke about during the event. The Georgia head coach shared the latest on Georgia’s two newest quarterbacks in Jaden Rashada and Ryan Puglisi.
Rashada transferred in from Arizona State this offseason, while the Bulldogs signed Puglisi as a member of the 2024 signing class. Puglisi was able to go through spring drills, but he missed Georgia’s G-Day scrimmage with a knee injury.
“I’ve seen a little bit of Jaden. Seen probably more of Ryan in terms of him being healthy out there and running,” Smart said. “Both those guys are pushing and competing. Jaden has been in as many meetings as he can be in and learning. He’s a guy that comes up there on his own to learn it. But Ryan’s health looks great in terms of running and doing the summer stuff.”
If all goes to plan, neither will play a meaningful snap for Georgia this fall. The Bulldogs have a lot riding on the success of Beck, who bypassed the NFL draft to return to Georgia for another season.
Beck started all 14 games a season ago, throwing for 3,941 yards and accounting for 28 touchdowns. Beck did have to wait his turn at Georgia, not emerging as the starter until his fourth year in the program.
Rashada and Puglisi may not have to wait that long, as this is expected to be Beck’s final year in the program. Rashada and Puglisi will compete alongside Gunner Stockton to be Beck’s backup.
Georgia hopes one of those three quarterbacks can develop in a manner similar to that of Beck.
“I think Carson, the credit goes to the way we practice and the way we do things,” Smart said. “He got to play meaningful reps. He was competing for a starting job there even way back when it was JT and Stetson. He got really valuable reps as a young player. He got better, and then when he got his opportunity to go play, he felt like he was going against defenses that weren’t the caliber of what he saw every day in practice. I can’t impress enough on the volume of reps the kid got while he was here.”
Rashada and Puglisi both have at least four seasons of eligibility remaining, giving each plenty of time to grow in the Georgia system. Both players come with plenty of upside as well, with each being a 4-star prospect in their respective recruiting cycle. Rashada actually started three games last season for Arizona State, giving Georgia another quarterback with starting experience.
Fall camp will be pivotal for Rashada, Puglisi and Stockton, as they battle for the backup quarterback job. The Bulldogs will have multiple scrimmages during the month of August before opening the 2024 season against Clemson on Aug. 31.
