Quarterback Carson Beck cracked a slight smile when asked what he learned the most during his years as a member of Georgia’s football team.

Considering the position he plays, it certainly does not come as a surprise.

“It’s been a long three years, so I’d say one of the words we used to describe it is patience,” Beck said. “It’s hard having patience when you’re a quarterback, because only one person can play, but every single day, I try to go to practice and learn something new and try to get better in some way, shape, or form.”

Don’t get Beck wrong.

Certainly, he would have loved to have played more than he has, but he also understood the situation. As long as Stetson Bennett remained healthy, Beck’s first real crack at the starting job wouldn’t take place until spring practice gets underway this March.

Contrary to some reports, waiting his turn has been just fine with Beck.

For the past two years, rumors have had Beck leaving the program in hopes of a quicker opportunity.

When asked if the thought of transferring ever crossed his mind, Beck said only as a passing fancy very early in his career.

“Never seriously at all. I think every player, when they’re young and immature, they can be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to leave, blah, blah, blah,’ but never did I ever think I’m going to get out of here,” Beck said. “I love the University of Georgia and that’s why I’ve stayed.”

There certainly appears ample opportunity for Beck to realize his starting dream, assuming he has a strong spring camp.

There will be plenty of competition. Redshirt freshman Brock Vandagriff and freshman Gunner Stockton will have the same opportunity to make their own impressions, and cannot be counted out by any stretch, either.

Beck hopes his experience will give him an edge.

When asked why he didn’t consider transferring, the Jacksonville native cited not wanting the lessons he’s learned working under offensive coordinator Todd Monken to go to waste. Had he left, it would have meant learning a new system, and there would have been no guarantee he would be in a better position to start with a new team than he would have been with the Bulldogs this fall.

“Being able to stay in the same offense, learn the terms, learn the lingo, the plays, how to read it—I think that will definitely benefit me and also be a key point,” said Beck, who served as Georgia’s No. 2 quarterback behind Bennett last season.

But Beck knows that will not mean a thing when spring practice begins. If he’s going to be Georgia’s starting quarterback in 2023, he’s going to have to earn the job.

That certainly seems true after a recent statement by head coach Kirby Smart, when asked how much mobility would play a role in his decision.

Beck can move around the pocket and picks up yards with his legs. However, both Vandagriff and Stockton have better mobility.

After watching how Bennett’s ability to run benefited Georgia’s offense, it would seem that’s going to need to be part of the equation for whoever is the Bulldogs’ quarterback come fall.

“I definitely put a heavier weight on mobility because of Stetson,” Smart said. “I don’t know if it changes the criteria; it definitely puts more weight on mobility, and that’s a really important factor.”

Smart offered more perspective when pressured further on the subject.

“I mean, like a scale of 1 to 10, if Stetson is an 8 in mobility, you probably can’t win without a 6 or a 7,” he said. “You’ve got to have somebody who can step out of the way and avoid things with athleticism.”

Like Monken, Smart is excited to see how it all plays out.

“Brock Vandagriff is down there learning all year, Carson Beck got a lot of playing time and has a lot of composure to come back and be able to play,” he said. “Those three guys will get to battle it out. They’ll learn a lot.”

Beck said there’s plenty he still has to learn.

As a young quarterback, Beck said he thought he knew it all when he first arrived in Athens. He soon learned that was not the case.

“When I came in, I thought I was smart, and I understood the position of quarterback. But I was very wrong. Over the past three years, Coach Monken has done a great job,” Beck said. “He’s been in the NFL, and he knows a lot of stuff. He’s done a great job of teaching me and other quarterbacks everything we need to know about the game.”