Carson Beck will begin the season as the starting quarterback for No. 1 Georgia as the Bulldogs aim for their third consecutive national championship.
Coach Kirby Smart announced Beck as the starter on Saturday, a decision that was anticipated. Beck served as the primary backup to Stetson Bennett in 2022 and finished spring practice leading Georgia’s depth chart.
“He’s performed the best,” Smart stated regarding Beck, a junior who passed for 310 yards and four touchdowns last season. “We informed the other quarterbacks earlier this week, and we’ve been operating under that assumption. The other players have been competing hard and will continue to do so.”
Entering preseason practice, Beck was the frontrunner in the competition against Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton, leveraging his experience.
“We haven’t decided who the second quarterback will be or how we will distribute reps,” Smart explained. “Carson has a better grasp of the offense than the others. I was genuinely impressed with the progress the other two quarterbacks made during camp.”
Matching Bennett’s achievements will be a tough challenge for Beck. Bennett was named the offensive MVP in both national championship games and was a Heisman Trophy finalist last year.
Mike Bobo has stepped in as Georgia’s new offensive coordinator, having served as an assistant last season under Todd Monken, who is now with the Baltimore Ravens.
“Coach Bobo has done an excellent job, and both Beck and the others have made significant plays with their mobility,” Smart said. “Carson has had more time in this offense than one of them and double the time than Gunner, which gives him an advantage.”
Smart added that Vandagriff and Stockton will get opportunities to work with the first team over the next two weeks to help determine who might serve as the backup.
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