Well, Carson Beck was a shooting star—until he flamed out. One minute, he’s the crown jewel of Georgia, and the next minute, folks treat him like leftover Thanksgiving food. After a rollercoaster 2024, Beck went to South Beach, ditching the NFL. Bold? Absolutely. But now, a former Georgia DE-turned-analyst is throwing shade at him, claiming Gunner Stockton’s 2025 will outshine Beck’s ’24. Isn’t he the one who took Georgia to the playoffs last season? Is it really fair to make that comparison? Luckily, Miami’s reporter is all in to clear the entire mess.

So, College Football Hall of Famer David Pollack hopped on the See Ball Get Ball podcast and predicted the unexpected about Georgia’s QB Gunner Stockton and former star Carson Beck, saying, “I think Gunner Stockton will have a better year – this year – than Carson Beck had last year.” But Miami’s reporter Alex Donno on Locked on Canes didn’t agree with the statement. “Okay, so Pollack says Stockton in his mind, going to have a better 2025 at Georgia than Beck had 2024 at Georgia. I’ll explain why I’m not even sure if that’s going to happen, but you know, here’s what Pollock didn’t say. He didn’t say Carson Beck isn’t good. He didn’t say Beck s–ks, nor did he flat out say that Stockton is better than Carson Beck. Because folks, there were plenty of reasons.”

Now, if we talk about Carson Beck’s production from 2023 to 2024, his numbers did take a hit. He did go throwing from 3,941 yards, with 24 TDs, 6 interceptions, and a 72.4% completion rate in 2023 to 3,485 yards with 28 TDs, 12 interceptions, and a 64.7% completion rate. But that’s not all because of him. As Donno lays out the reason, saying, “You don’t, I think you have to look at Georgia’s offense, any offense in the country, by the way. This is not a Georgia-specific thing. You have to look at Georgia’s offense last year as an ecosystem and not just one player or one quarterback.”

Alex Donno further explains it, saying, “So, questions I would have on UGA as to how much Stockton can thrive there this year compared to what Beck did last year. Has Georgia improved their consistency at receiver from last year? They literally led the nation in drops last season. You think that helped Carson? Nope.” That all makes perfect sense. Georgia finished the 2024 season with 36 dropped passes, more than any other team in the SEC. And while dropped passes were not solely to blame for Georgia losing to Notre Dame, they were a glaring one.

In 2024, Georgia’s wide receiver group didn’t provide much support for Carson Beck. In the previous year, Beck had impressive stats with a 1.4% interception rate, 9.5 yards per attempt (YPA), 13.0 yards per completion (YPC), and a 167.9 passer rating. However, in the following year, his numbers suffered as interceptions rose to 2.7%, YPA dropped to 7.8, and YPC decreased to 12.0. The departure of star players Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey to the NFL may have contributed to this decline in performance.

Despite David Pollack suggesting that Gunner Stockton could outshine Beck, Alex Donno made sure he made his final stance on Beck with a subtle yet sharp response. “Gunnar Stockton’s going to have a better year at Georgia this year than Beck had last year. I think Carson Beck’s going to have a better year at Miami this year than he had at Georgia last year.” And with Mario Cristobal’s recent spring update, it looks like a done deal.

Mario Cristobal’s bold revelation on Carson Beck’s spring practice

Well, Carson Beck’s journey to South Beach begins with a risky move. Coach Cristobal took a chance by recruiting the former Georgia quarterback from the transfer portal, following his recent UCL surgery on his throwing arm. Beck sustained the injury during Georgia’s SEC title victory over Texas. This arises a burning question: Will he be ready by Week 1 against Notre Dame?

Beck missed spring ball due to the injury, but he has already made appearances at practice wearing a new No. 11 jersey and showing promising progress. Cristobal shared encouraging news on Thursday, stating, “Progressing well… he’s probably a little ahead of schedule… we’re excited about his progress,” While Beck may not be on full go, he is clearly making strides forward.

Even though he won’t be throwing passes during the spring game on April 12, Beck is laying the groundwork. He is deeply involved in studying film, fostering team chemistry, and maintaining a strong presence in team discussions. This level of dedication is crucial, particularly when faced with the challenge of replacing a Miami football icon. Cam Ward not only performed exceptionally but also set new records, was a Heisman Trophy contender, and could potentially be the first overall pick in the upcoming draft.

So, Carson Beck now aims to achieve what Ward could not – secure Miami’s spot in the College Football Playoff. Opting to forgo the draft attention for a second chance, Beck, if Cristobal’s assessment is accurate, Beck might introduce an unexpected twist.