ATHENS — The accolades continue to roll in for Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, as the senior quarterback was named a Preseason All-American this week by multiple outlets.
It speaks to the belief in Beck, not just by those outside the Georgia football building but those inside as well.
“We’ve got elite receivers that are fast and we’ve got an elite quarterback,” tight end Oscar Delp said. “It’s hard to not throw the ball deep sometimes. He puts it up there and guys make plays. It just kind of happens with people catching the ball and running the right routes and just building that trust, it just happens over time. We’ve had some explosive plays in practice this camp. It’s cool to see him just launch it and have fun.”
Delp is one of Beck’s most trusted targets entering this season. With Brock Bowers no longer around, Delp is Georgia’s unquestioned top tight end.
If there is a question or concern about what Beck might be able to do, it comes from those around him. Following the preseason dismissal of wide receiver Rara Thomas, there has been some question about how deep Georgia’s wide receiver room is.
The Bulldogs also have four newcomers in the running back room, led by Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier. Georgia also brought in Benjamin Yurosek to add to the tight end room as well.
Georgia feels great about Delp, Dillon Bell and Dominic Lovett. But beyond them, Smart is publicly worried about Beck’s weapons.
“There is not the depth around Carson at the skill positions that there have been at the past,” Smart said this week. “That puts more pressure on him to feel like he’s got to be perfect. To feel like he’s got to make the right decision, the right protection check, do this, do this. Can I count on that guy who hasn’t done it yet and trust that he’s going to be able to do it, even though he’s a freshman. Those are things that Carson, he’s got to get familiar with those other guys.”
This isn’t the first time this fall a coach has used perfection in conjunction with Beck, as offensive coordinator Mike Bobo raised a similar point when discussing Beck’s willingness to throw deep.
“it doesn’t always need to be a perfectly thrown ball where you hit the guy in stride,” Bobo said. “Sometimes we want it to be that way as a quarterback. But it’s a lot just giving the guy a chance. Not throwing the ball so far where you don’t have a chance or throwing it out of bounds. Give the guy a chance to make a play. He’s done a better job of that.”
Even if Georgia isn’t asking Beck to be perfect, it has acknowledged that it is putting a lot on his shoulders this fall.
He’s expected to quarterback the No. 1 team in the country, which comes with its own set of expectations. Add in the accolades and Heisman Trophy buzz and it can be a lot to keep up with.
But Beck welcomes that challenge. His teammates have seen him do so from the moment the 2023 season came to an end.
“No one likes how we ended the season last year,” Smart said. “You can tell he didn’t just the way he approaches practice every day. He’s looking to get better and make guys around him better. He’s confident. He’s a great quarterback. He’s a great guy to practice with.
“You can just tell he’s got that chip on his shoulder. He’s excited to play this year.”
