ATHENS — Georgia already knew it was going to have a new starting quarterback in 2025. It just did not think that its former starter, Carson Beck, would be sticking around and starting for someone else.

Beck initially declared for the NFL draft. He then reversed course and entered the transfer portal on Thursday, indicating he plans to play elsewhere in 2025.

Beck’s elbow injury — from which he’s still recovering and expects to begin throwing again in the spring — prevented him from starting in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame.

That gave Georgia its first look at Gunner Stockton, who is the favorite to be team’s starting quarterback when Georgia next takes the field on August 30th against Marshall.

Stockton completed 20 of his 32 pass attempts for 234 yards and a touchdown in the 23-10 loss. Stockton’s play looks a good bit better, given how Penn State’s Drew Allar struggled against Notre Dame in the semifinals. The Penn State quarterback completed 12 of his 23 pass attempts for just 135 yards. Allar did not complete a pass to a wide receiver and had a crushing fourth-quarter interception that set up Notre Dame’s game-winning field goal.

Stockton made his share of mistakes as well — including a critical fumble just before halftime — but it’s understandable given it was his first career start. There are adjustments Stockton is going to have to make in order to play faster.

“I could have done better. Just know where the play clock is and manage it,” Stockton said after the loss to Notre Dame. “And it’s a big part of it.”

Georgia players and Kirby Smart made it clear after the game that the Bulldogs needed to do more around Stockton to help him. Drops were an issue once again in the loss while running back Trevor Etienne had a costly fumble in the red zone that took points off the board.

In the days since the defeat, Georgia has made an effort to improve the wide receiver room. It landed transfers Zachariah Branch of USC and Noah Thomas of Texas A&M out of the portal. Branch has the kind of speed and shiftiness that make him an offensive coordinator’s dream. He’s a better athlete than football player at this point but Georgia is banking on Branch making strides.

As for Thomas, he’s the big-bodied wide receiver Georgia didn’t have in 2024. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher also caught eight touchdowns for the Aggies last season. That’s more than anyone on the Georgia team.

Given Beck’s lack of weapons, the Bulldogs seem committed to making sure the same mistakes aren’t repeated in 2025. The Bulldogs also signed five wide receivers and two tight ends in the 2025 recruiting cycle, with 5-star Talyn Taylor and 4-star Elyiss Williams headlining the youthful additions.

Georgia also expects Etienne to return for another year, pairing him with Nate Frazier. That should give Georgia two difference-makers behind Stockton.

The offensive line is a question mark, at best, entering 2025. But Georgia has recruited well and brings back a handful of veterans with experience to help protect Stockton. He was sacked 4.0 times in the loss to Notre Dame.

Behind Stockton, Georgia does not have the same deep quarterback room it did. Jaden Rashada also left via the transfer portal, leaving Ryan Puglisi as Stockton’s most experienced backup. He has yet to attempt a collegiate pass.

Georgia signed Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender in the 2025 cycle. Montgomery is still recovering from a high school knee injury and there are questions about whether he can play this spring for Georgia.

Beck was ready to move on from Georgia. He had spent five years with the program, pouring everything he had to offer into this place. He threw for 58 touchdowns and went 24-3 as a starter.

But one of the biggest unanswered questions regarding Beck’s moves was whether or not Georgia would’ve taken him back. Until Beck or Smart publicly speak on the matter, we can only speculate as to whether or not coming back to Georgia was an option for Beck.

Based on everything Georgia players and coaches had to say about Stockton in the month of December, it seems Georgia was ready for something new at the position. While the myth-making of Stockton may have gone too far in the build-up to Notre Dame, he undeniably brings a different energy to the Georgia offense and thus program.

Time will tell if Georgia sees Beck again. Miami is the heavy favorite to land his services and the Hurricanes were a late-season loss to Syracuse from making the College Football Playoff. Should he choose the Hurricanes, his first game with his new team would ironically come against Notre Dame.

The same team that Stockton faced in his first start as a Bulldog, giving Georgia a taste of what life without Beck will be like.

“Just being able to lead a little different in the position, being a starting quarterback, and just what that demands,” Stockton said. “And still just having my core values and being Gunner Stockton.”

REACTION: Carson Beck reverses course and enters the transfer portal, leaving Georgia behind