Georgia football QB Carson Beck on early enrollment: ‘Transition has been pretty easy’

ATHENS — Georgia freshman quarterback Carson Beck is getting everything out of his early enrollment that he hoped, and then some.

Beck was one of the six freshman early enrollees who sat down with former Bulldogs’ SEC Championship Game MVP D.J. Shockley earlier this offseason for a round table interview.

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The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Beck, a former USA Today Florida Offensive Player of the Year, said it has just been a matter of learning his way around on campus and on the football field.

“It’s definitely been everything I expected,” Beck said. “The transition has been pretty easy. You know, getting through workouts, kinda figuring all that out, figuring out the campus.”

Sweet start

Beck also had the advantage of taking part in some Sugar Bowl practices leading up to the Bulldogs’ 26-14 win over Baylor at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

“It definitely helped a lot, already getting an idea of how practice goes,” Beck said. “I’ll tell you, the first day of practice I was so lost. I had no clue what I was doing. They would blow that horn, and everybody starts running around. I was like, ‘Coach, where do I go? Where do I go?’ “

The former Mandarin High School QB chose Georgia long ago — March 3, 2019. He’s as familiar with the team as anyone, to the extent of playing a role in the recruiting class.

But Beck, like any other high school quarterback, had no way to be prepared for the level of competition until actually going against it.

“Coming in early definitely helped a lot, and just learning the speed of the game,” Beck said. “ I ran like scout team, because the ones and twos got reps for the bowl game, but I ran scout team. Getting to play against Georgia’s No. 1 defense, one of the best defenses in the country, and getting to practice against them every single day, that helped me immensely.

“I feel like it will set me up to have an even better start in the spring.”

Quarterback Derby

Beck is competing with incoming graduate transfer Jamie Newman along with returning quarterbacks D’Wan Mathis and Stetson Bennett lll in the quarterback room this spring.

The addition of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken wouldn’t appear to factor into his likelihood for success. Beck explained how he became more versatile out of necessity.

“I would say, from my junior to my senior season, my whole style of game changed,” Beck said. “We ended up losing so many people, that I couldn’t just be a stand-up pocket passer (and) throw the ball all around the field, which I know I’m very comfortable with.

“But throughout the course of my senior season, I had to learn how to escape the pocket, go get yards, make people miss, all that type of stuff. So I feel like really anything that coach asks me to do, I can go out there and accomplish it.”

Kirby Smart is counting on it, though he’s still mum on exactly what direction the offense will go.

At the very least, it’s clear UGA hired a coordinator in Monken who has expertise with the Air Raid, RPOs and spread attacks.

Beck, just like Newman, Mathis and Bennett, has the athleticism and foot speed to make it go.

And each day, thanks to his early enrollment, Beck becomes more and more comfortable as a Georgia quarterback.