ESPN identifies how Georgia can make the playoff again in 2023
Making a College Football Playoff is never easy and winning it all is obviously a lot harder. Going back to back in the playoff era? Well, only one team has done that. Georgia made it look about as easy as team can in 2022, going 15-0 and blowing TCU away 65-7 in the National Championship game. .
The Bulldogs now take aim at the elusive three-peat in 2023 but it will have to overcome some losses to do so. ESPN identified those losses recently and pointed to them as the key to making a third-straight playoff.
“If Georgia is going to get back to the CFP and have a chance to win three straight national titles, it will have to find a quality replacement for quarterback Stetson Bennett. A former walk-on, Bennett had a storybook career and was the engine behind Georgia’s transformation on offense. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken left for the Baltimore Ravens, and former OC Mike Bobo, an analyst last season, was promoted to replace him. Carson Beck, who attempted 58 passes in the past two seasons combined, probably has the edge heading into spring practice. Beck led two late scoring drives in Georgia’s 65-7 rout of TCU in the CFP National Championship in January. He has a stronger arm than Bennett but isn’t quite as mobile. Brock Vandagriff, who is probably more dynamic than Beck, and redshirt freshman Gunner Stockton will also be in the mix. — Mark Schlabach”
Beck’s growth in third season at Georgia
What wasn’t mentioned in the ESPN article is the massive strides made by Carson Beck from 2021 to 2022. Most of his action in 2021 was mop-up duty save a few snaps against UAB in week two. It was the same in 2022 except all of those were mop-up snaps.
But Beck made some serious statistical progress. He completed just 43 percent of 23 attempts in 2021 with two touchdowns and the same number of interceptions. A year later, serving as Bennett’s backup, Beck completed just under 75 percent of 35 pass attempts for 310 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
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That’s an impressive jump and the eyeball test confirmed it as Beck showed more poise and decisiveness in this third season with the program. He’ll be pushed hard by Brock Vandagriff and Gunner Stockton throughout spring drills and preseason camp.
All three of those quarterbacks will hear a familiar voice this spring and fall. As Schlabach pointed out, Bobo will be the Bulldogs offensive coordinator and will stick with and build upon the offense Todd Monken has implemented and adjusted the past three seasons.
