FORT LAUDERDALE - The aftermath of Georgia's SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama hit Carson Beck hard.
He had waited three years to start at quarterback for Georgia, to play in a game of that magnitude. Now Beck saw devastation on the faces of teammates who knew they had come up short.
That feeling, that brotherhood with his teammates, combined with a definite sense of unfinished business, is ultimately what led Beck to return to Georgia for one more season.
"Seeing the emotions of the guys in that locker room, I was like, yeah, we've got to do this again, or I have to do this again," Beck said. "I come back and you know, just have another season with these guys, and the bond that we've created is going to be something special."
Beck said he knew in his heart he wanted to return a couple of days after the SEC Championship Game. He took his time speaking to his family and people he trusted to make sure everyone was on the same page.
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo is just one person whose voice was heard.
"We had been talking since the last ballgame about certain things," Bobo said. "At the end of the day, it was getting him the information that he needed to make the decision. It wasn't some big announcement. It was kind of a culmination of things leading up to that point. My conversations with Carson mainly have been about still preparing and finishing the right way this season. That was his decision, a family decision that he made. I wanted to let him know I'm his coach and am going to support him any way possible that he needs."
Running back Kendall Milton is close with Beck, as both came to Georgia in the Class of 2020. His friend's demeanor after the loss to Alabama helped clue him in to Beck's decision.
"He just remained locked in," Milton said. "He didn’t really talk about the next level, he didn’t talk about where he was training at, he didn’t talk about any of that stuff. He was really locked in to Georgia football and the program."
Beck discussed many factors that played into his decision. In addition to the brotherhood with his teammates, Beck mentioned the unfinished business of not winning a national title and the enjoyment he gets from actually playing, after waiting so long for his turn.
As for NIL deals, Beck said those didn't play into his decision at all. He recalled seeing the same social media rumors as everyone else earlier this fall.
"Coach Smart's like, 'Where's this coming from?' I'm like, we haven't even talked about it. I haven’t even said anything. We haven't even talked about the decision," Beck said. "But that was not one of the biggest factors in me coming back. Obviously, as the quarterback of Georgia, there's going to be plenty of opportunities outside of Georgia, you know, for me to make NIL and things like that. But for now, coming back and trying to win a championship with these guys and this team, it's so important to me. I know that's so cliche and that's what I'm supposed to say, but I truly believe that and mean that.”
Now, Beck's focus is set to turn to next season following Saturday's Orange Bowl.
He will head into 2024 as one of the unquestioned leaders and voices of the team. Center Sedrick Van Pran sees that as a huge benefit. Beck can now take more command of the offense, continuing to develop timing with his receivers and discussing the best way for routes to be run.
For his part, Beck knows he can be much better. He admitted he sets sky-high expectations and is very critical of his play.
"I definitely could have done a whole lot better," Beck said. "There's so many opportunities left out on the field. So many decisions where I go back and watch on film, I'm like, I've done that 1,000 times, and how could I possibly mess that up?"
An offseason of growth lies ahead. If Beck has his way, his Georgia career will end inside a locker room that will look much different than the despondent one in Mercedes-Benz Stadium earlier this month.
"I sat here for three years and didn't play," Beck said. "Why would I not come back and take advantage of another opportunity to play on such a great team?"
