Only a 12 months after buying a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in Cam Ward, Miami once more has taken a giant swing within the switch portal. Carson Beck, a former Georgia quarterback who not too long ago withdrew from the NFL Draft and entered the switch portal, has chosen Miami as the place he’ll spend his final 12 months of eligibility.
This information was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
The 23-year-old was Georgia’s beginning quarterback the final two seasons and confirmed flashes of being a high draft decide. After sitting by means of the dominant back-to-back title runs for the Bulldogs in 2021 and 2022, Beck ascended into turning into the starter following the departure of Stetson Bennett.
In his first season on the helm, Beck led Georgia to a 13-1 season that was in the end marred by a loss within the convention championship to Alabama that kicked them out of the Faculty Soccer Playoffs. He posted a 72% completion proportion, throwing for twenty-four touchdowns with solely six interceptions, including 4 on the bottom as nicely.
Coming off a dominating bowl win over Florida State, the place Beck flashed his skills as a passer, he entered the 2024 season as a projected first-rounder within the 2025 NFL Draft.
However as a substitute of rising even additional, Beck faltered at a number of factors within the season. A tough middle-of-the-season stretch included a 13-12 win over lowly Kentucky, a four-turnover sport in opposition to Alabama that he did practically convey them again from, and a few different three-interception video games in opposition to Texas and Florida. By way of that seven-game stretch, Beck threw 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions with losses to Ole Miss and Alabama.
This, mixed with the rise of prospects like Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders solidifying themselves as two first-round skills, Beck was moved additional down draft boards. Beck did have a powerful end to the 12 months, as Georgia ended the common season 3-0, with Beck throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns in opposition to No. 7 Tennessee and 5 touchdowns in an eight-overtime thriller in opposition to Georgia Tech.
Within the SEC Championship Sport in opposition to Texas, Beck suffered a UCL harm on a sack, which pressured him to have surgical procedure and miss the remainder of the season.
Beck brings a conventional pocket passing fashion to the place. He has sufficient athleticism on the faculty degree to often prolong performs. He assaults the center of the sector nicely however struggles when pressured by defenders.
There are questions concerning who Beck is throwing to. The ’Canes will likely be with out there high 5 receiving targets from final 12 months. Xavier Restrepo, Sam Brown, Jacolby George and tight finish Elijah Arroyo all declared for the NFL Draft, and Isaiah Horton transferred to Alabama.
LSU switch CJ Daniels, who simply two years in the past with Liberty posted 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns, was added to the roster. Joshisa “Jojo” Dealer, who had three receptions for 61 yards in Miami’s bowl sport to cap off a largely quiet freshman season, leads the anticipated returnees.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson did a extremely good job of working with Ward and turning him into a possible primary total decide however had much less success with Tyler Van Dyke the 12 months prior. His system has confirmed to be efficient and may work nicely with a quarterback like Beck, who likes to play in rhythm and push the ball downfield.
There will likely be loads of questions coming this season with Miami hoping to construct off a 10-win season. Rather a lot will fall on an achieved subject normal like Beck, who is predicted to completely get better from his harm lengthy earlier than fall observe, to reply these questions.