David Pollack not overreacting to Carson Beck's start to 2023

As No. 1 Georgia has slowly found its footing in 2023, QB Carson Beck has done the same in his first real opportunities as the team’s QB1. That’s why David Pollack isn’t at all worried about him after three games this season.

Pollack went in length about UGA’s offense during a conversation with DawgHQ’s Wes Blankenship on Thursday. He said Beck’s start shouldn’t be a concern considering how Georgia’s last quarterback started his career and the undervalued impact of the change at offensive coordinator when it comes to him personally.

“I’m not overreacting by any stretch,” Pollack said. “Listen, like, if you saw Stetson Bennett three starts in? You’d be like, ‘Hmm?’. I’m sorry – if you saw Stetson Bennett 10 starts in? Georgia fans were still complaining.”

“I think that the new system is a real thing, it’s a real deal,” added Pollack. “Like, learning that? If you remember, Carson Beck actually played with (Todd) Monken’s son in high school. His relationship with Monken went way back and he probably was more familiar with the old offense than the new offense.”

In three appearances, Beck is 71-96 (74%) for 846 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. In his first action in the SEC last weekend, he completed a season-best 77.1% of his passes against the Gamecocks but they went for a season-low of 269 yards and no touchdowns.

Still, if there was one improvement Pollack would like to see, he wants Beck to use his legs more. With his athleticism, he wants to see him have more than his 31 rush yards and one rushing score on the year.

“I like what I’ve seen from Beck,” said Pollack. “One thing that I’ve got to see more of and I get frustrated with watching on tape? If you’re going to run the zone read and that’s going to be one of your biggest plays? Beck has shown me enough athletic ability already. The draw in game one, last week against South Carolina pulling it down, running, and scrambling.”

“He’s a good athlete, he’s not a great athlete. He’s somewhere between Stetson and (Jake) Fromm but closer to Stetson than Fromm, probably,” Pollack explained. “I want to see more of that in the offense to open up even more of the rushing lanes.”

Georgia’s offense is doing just fine with 39 points and 468 total yards per game amidst changes in several spots in the lineup and on the staff. That reason is Pollack’s reasoning for why he’s a-okay with that unit and its quarterback after three wins.