ATHENS, Ga. - Saturday evening was a long time coming for Carson Beck.

The quarterback hadn't started a game in nearly four years. He waited his turn behind Stetson Bennett and other Georgia quarterbacks.

But on Saturday, Beck made the first start of his Georgia career against UT-Martin.

"I felt good," Beck said after the game. "I was excited to be out there. It’s been a while since I started a game. I thought we played well. I think it took a second to settle in, but also very excited to be out there."

Beck's overall stats are impressive, even considering Georgia's FCS opponent. He finished his starting debut 21-of-31 passing for 294 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a score, a four-yard scramble for Georgia's second touchdown.

Beck acknowledged he felt some nerves heading into the night. But he added he felt more comfortable as the night went on, truly settling in by the second quarter.

"I think just the feel of the game," Beck said. "At practice we don’t get hit, so understanding like when I can move, when I can run, when to extend a play, when not to extend a play, just throw it away if something’s not there. Just getting the feel for the game I think is the biggest thing."

There were some negatives to be sure. Beck felt the Bulldogs could have done better on third down. He also missed a few throws that could and should have been completions.

But Beck is also the starter for a reason. Smart believed in him enough to publicly declare him the team's No. 1 quarterback a couple of weeks ago. On Saturday night, Smart felt Beck validated that choice.

"I was very proud of Carson in his first start," Smart said. "I thought he had great composure. Really that was the epitome of every scrimmage he had. He threw the ball away when he had to, he hit spots when he had to, he made good decisions, he didn't put us at risk, he made good checks. He did some really good things, and I'm proud of him. We've got to get some more help around him with weapons, get some guys healthy, but I'm proud of what he did."