Georgia QB Carson Beck named a finalist for Manning Award
Carson Beck is getting some recognition for his work in his first season as a starter. The Georgia quarterback was named a finalist for the 2023 Manning Award on Thursday, giving the Bulldogs a shot to have a second player earn the honor in as many seasons. Stetson Bennett took home the trophy in 2022.
The Manning Award is given annually to the quarterback who is considered the best in America as judged by the Sugar Bowl committee.
Beck has 12 starts under his belt, all coming in 2023. He has led the Bulldogs to a 12-0 record and is on pace to break the Bulldogs’ single-season record for completion percentage. The Jacksonville, Fla. native has completed 268 of 370 pass attempts for 3,495 yards 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has also carried the football 50 times for 129 times and three scores.
Eleven of Beck’s 12 starts this season have seen him throw for over 250 yards. He has also eclipsed the 300-yard mark in five games this season with two of those coming against teams that were ranked at the time. Beck has thrown for at least 280 yards in eight games and is averaging 9.4 yards per pass attempt.
With Beck behind center, the Bulldogs are averaging 39.4 points per game and they have the nation’s No. 2 third-down offense, converting at an impressive 56.55 percent clip. Georgia is averaging 37.8 points per game in SEC play.
Beck was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien and Maxwell Awards earlier this year. He was also the SEC’s Offensive Player of the Week after Georgia’s beatdown of Kentucky in week six. Kirby Smart has consistently praised his quarterback for his poise and calm demeanor and believes that Beck could have probably put up bigger numbers this season.
“I don’t lobby for those guys, but it’s easy to sit back and say, ‘Look at what this kid has done.’ The worst thing for Beck individually is he plays with a good defense,” Smart said after Georgia’s 38-10 win over Tennessee. “It makes you not want to sit there and just run it up. Some of these other guys, they get opportunities and have to score 40 a game. With Carson Beck, I don’t think we as an offensive staff think we have to score 40 a game. I don’t think we think we have to. We may have to, but we don’t think we have to. So you’re able to call the game differently as an offensive coordinator. I don’t think he cares about that. He’s talented guys. He’s smart, and he’s a better athlete than you think. He’s got 19 and some good players out there.”
Beck has another chance to impress in a couple of days. He will lead Georgia against Alabama in the SEC Championship game on Saturday. The game will take place inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with kickoff set for 4 p.m. ET on CBS.
