This is the 11th installment of our annual winter series at UGASports.com, taking a look at Georgia’s complete depth chart heading into spring practice next month. Today we are looking at the quarterback.
ALSO SEE:
Dominic Lovett poised for a big year
Trevor Etienne too good to pass up
New faces could highlight X-receiver spot
Dillon Bell poised to ring even louder
Today, we'll highlight the quarterbacks.
Is Carson Beck the top candidate for the 2024 Heisman Trophy?
Some seem to believe so.
In early Heisman odds released last month, Beck and Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers were listed as co-favorites as +750 choices to bring home the coveted award.
Of course, last year LSU's Jayden Daniels was a +1,100 pick to win. He raced past the field to win the Heisman and now finds himself a likely top pick in the NFL Draft.
But could oddsmakers be onto something when it comes to Beck potentially lifting the trophy next December in New York?
He placed himself in a position for it.
Since 2010, only two non-quarterbacks have ever won the award: Alabama running back Derrick Henry in 2015 and Crimson Tide wide receiver DeVonta Smith in 2020.
Adding more potential legitimacy to the speculation is Wednesday's story we published, in which Pro Football Focus considers Beck the top returning quarterback for the 2024 season.
Georgia's schedule is also conducive to making a run.
With road games at Alabama and Texas, Beck will have tons of voting eyes on him for what undoubtedly will be the Bulldogs' two most hyped regular season games of the year.
A strong showing in both of those contests (assuming they're also Georgia wins) and it would come as no surprise to see Beck the favorite when November rolls around.
However, according to those closest to Beck, a shot at the Heisman was not why he decided to return for another year.
Seeing the faces of his teammates following Georgia's loss to Alabama helped make up his mind.
"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 during his pregame interview at the Orange Bowl. "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."
If you believe what the prognosticators are saying, Beck and the Bulldogs will have an opportunity to accomplish all their goals.
ESPN picked Georgia as its preseason No. 1 team, with Beck's return undoubtedly a big part of the reason why.
