Carson Beck’s collegiate career has been filled with many ups and downs thus far.
He spent five years at Georgia, redshirting as a freshman, backing up during the Bulldogs 2021 and 2022 national championship runs, and later starting in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In 2023, Beck looked like he had all the making of a future NFL quarterback. He finished the season with the third most passing yards in the country with 3,941 yards, ranked fourth nationally in completion percentage and led Georgia to a 63-3 win against Florida State in the Orange Bowl.
It was a different story for Beck in 2024. Beck entered the season considered a potential first-round draft pick, but his inconsistent play and injury led to him being downgraded to a Day 2 prospect by the season’s end.
Instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, he chose to transfer to the University of Miami. This move, so far, looks like the best decision of his career as Miami is 3-0 and Beck is the current Heisman favorite.
As CBS Sports noted, former Titans general manager Ran Carthon was extremely impressed with Beck’s play so far this season:
“The way he’s playing now, I think he’s in the conversation for the first round,” Carthon said.
New Fit, New Success for Carson Beck
Carson Beck has called his transfer to Miami “one of the better decisions I’ve made.” After Cam Ward’s breakout season for the Hurricanes a year ago, Beck had some pretty big shoes to fill. So far he has done just that.
After huge wins against powerhouse Notre Dame and a strong USF squad, the Hurricanes are 3-0 and sit as the No. 4 team in the country. Beck has been a huge part of that, throwing for 812 yards and seven touchdowns in just three games.
Beck’s leadership has also stood out in Miami’s 3-0 start. Head coach Mario Cristobal praised his transfer quarterback after the USF win, telling CBS Sports that what separates Beck is his team-first mentality and competitive edge:
“Genuine. Real. Strong. Alpha,” Cristobal said. “I thought the best thing was, after an interception, [Beck’s] response was, ‘Give me the ball. Let us get to work.’ And he uses the word ‘us’ and ‘we.’ That hits strong when you’re a coach, right? … You don’t talk in ‘I’s’ and ‘my’s’ and ‘me this.’ So his whole demeanor, his approach is very team-driven, as is his competitive response.”
Can Carson Beck and Miami Sustain Their Early-Season Surge?
The biggest question for Beck and the Hurricanes will be if they can sustain their early-season success and make a push toward a national championship.
Miami’s schedule sets up favorably, with only one more ranked opponent currently on the slate. The Hurricanes will travel to Tallahassee on October 4 to face No. 7 Florida State in a massive ACC showdown.
With Beck’s strong play and a defense that has transformed from one of the nation’s worst last season into a reliable unit, the Hurricanes have their eyes past ACC play and towards the College Football Playoff.
Their next step comes this Saturday at home against a struggling Florida Gators team.