As the criticisms on Beck have heaped on in recent weeks, there have been a handful of narratives that have arisen consistently about QB1 and what might be happening with Carson’s efficiency this season. To date, I’ve noticed a few core themes (feel free to add a theme and analyze it if you feel I missed one). Since I’ve come to realize our blog followers aren’t the biggest fans of long-winding narratives, I’ll break this up over four days on the key problems people perceive are wrong with Mr. Carson.
- Tuesday’s Case: Beck is distracted by NIL, TikTok girlfriend, school, or perception of professional draft status
- Wednesday’s Case: Beck’s Vision/Decision Making
- Thursday’s Case: Beck’s Lost Faith in His Receivers
- Friday’s Case: It’s Bobo’s Fault & Final Verdict
In an attempt to be fair and not insert bias here, I’ll try to add in stats where I can find them. Additionally, I’ll try to add in a summation of each theory, its relative accuracy, and what can be done to fix the issue, if anything.
Exhibit 1 – The Distraction Defense
In my opinion, this is the easiest and most readily leveraged argument as to why people can be hyper-critical about Beck’s performances. What people see are the endorsements, the money, and the fringe-benefits (social media girlfriend, Lambo, etc), and feel that Beck should have the same level of scrutiny as, say, Mahomes. In this case, there’s some evidence to support this knee-jerk reaction. For example, Beck is all over commercials and sponsorships, including Chipotle, Milk, Powerade, EA Sports, and Airstar Charter, just to name a few.
Truth be known, though, the NIL and girlfriend can’t be the reason. To shoot one of these ads requires very little time, likely occurring outside of practice. If you’ve seen the Milk spot that he’s done, that had to have been done within mere minutes, and could’ve been produced by the AV Club of Cedar Shoals High School, to boot. Not to mention that Georgia already has a healthy social media crew, staffed by pros and student volunteers, so the media thing should be nothing new. As far as his girlfriend goes, she holds a busy schedule being a basketball player (season’s in full swing now) and also with her own social media presence, which is a bigger deal to her than it is to Beck.
But how does Carson maintain the practice schedule and classes? Well, he’s a sports management major. I’ll leave it at that. So…that leaves the desire to improve draft status and show out as the remaining indictment here. So I’ll posit the question:
- If Carson is slinging it more to improve draft stock, when there’s a 67% chance on every throw that stock can decline, why would he be throwing more in an effort to possibly implode his draft status? Seems to run incongruent to logic here. He’s currently attempting roughly 4 more passes per game compared to last year, by the way.
- Likewise, Shadeur Sanders is a case study in protecting and padding stats…he routinely would extend plays well beyond the need, would take sacks to keep his percentage up, and was really someone looking for the big hit and big play. Since the perception from many who adhere to this belief also hold the belief that Beck doesn’t attack the vertical game, then it’s hard to see how this logic or belief holds water. If that was Beck’s goal, he’s been intentionally railroading it for weeks now. As evidenced by Beck’s third pick Saturday, he wants to make the play, get the completion, and refuses (sometimes stubbornly) to get sacked to protect his completion percentage.
Verdict: Not guilty. Although, in the court of perception, Beck’s guilty because of his luck in timing in the new NIL era. While he’s not attempting to make his NFL stock rise or his stats look better, in the eyes of the fans, he’s got the money, the girl, and the fame…so he should be open to scrutiny. Fair enough, but it’s not the money making the man, here. It’s more the old-guard disdain for the NIL era, the attachments that are perceived from it, and Beck is squarely in the cross-hairs of it.
Possible Solutions to the Perception: None, really, unless you can put Beck in the Wayback Machine and insert him in the pre-NIL era of college football. Instead, just post those beliefs on Message Board Geniuses, because there’s no solution to something as invalid as this. Should Beck break up with his girlfriend, start riding a bike, and quit taking in millions in endorsements? Would you surrender your salary if you have a few bad weeks at work? Hmmm. Don’t hate the player, hate the game, as the old song goes.
Tomorrow: The Case of Beck’s Decision Making & Vision
This is pretty fair. Cubelic and Harper broke down Beck’s game on Read and React on SEC Network last night. They concluded Beck made two terrible choices leading to 2 INTs, but he also made seven great choices and good throws. His accuracy is a little off, but they felt like he still has all the tools and brains. Quit trying to force the ball into non-existent windows and he’s golden.
Neither could be called a UGA fan, but despite being a Barner and. a Gump, I find them to be very professional and I learn lots by watching them. Even as he struggles, he’s making plays and choices down the stretch when we need it. Imagine if he clears his head and eliminates the 2 or 3 bad choices to force the ball. If I was the rest of the country, I’d spend less time crowing about how BECK SUCKS, and more time worrying about what if Beck goes on a hot streak?
Some guys need a foot to the ass, some guys need an arm around the shoulder. Kirby seems pretty effective at figuring out what makes people tick. A lot of people wanted to fire Stet this time in 2021, and even after he won a NC, a lot people wanted him to move on. Beck is the best choice we have. Turning on him now isnt going to help. Whatever it is, it isn’t a lack of care. On the long int return, go back and look at how he kamikazied the tackle. A guy who doesn’t care won’t do that. Does he need to clean up the funk? Absolutely. Is there time? Absolutely. The hero’s journey always includes overcoming adversity. They’re going to figure it out. The next 2 weeks are a tremendous opportunity for Beck to show the world who he is, and for UGA to do the same. Approach it like that and do the work.
This argument from the message board geniuses is the one that really comes from envy & jealousy over any knowledge of football.
If this argument were remotely valid, Kirby wouldn’t be being so kind in his public evaluations. He would be saying things like “Carson needs to spend more time watching film with Mike.” Instead, he keeps naming him a captain and making him available to the press.
Well done sir! Love breakdown. I too would agree that Beck is not guilty in this case. Is it possible to the lack of trust in the OL and WR? I see Beck failing to step into throws from time to time, developing happy feet on occasion, and it appears as he sees ghosts as well.
I’m with you JP. Beck waited three years for his opportunity and I’m not buying he came back for the NIL money. That kid wants to win and he wants to put his name on that stamp at UGA as being a National Champion. A lot of people are basing their opinion on his demeanor but he’s not a big rah rah guy like Stetson.
Skeptic Dawg, you hit it on the head. I’m seeing the same thing. A sometimes shaky OL and WR that have slippery hands.
It’s hard to step into throws when the DL is breathing down your throat. And when the DL’s not – your thinking he is which leads to a bit of panic.
Again, Kirby’s on the muther! Beck’s sitting in the teams phycologist room probably as I type.
Maybe bobo has a girlfriend distracting him. We should peek in his garage and see what that sumbitch is driving.
Agree. He’s a baller, and athletes like him turn on and tune out. Looking forward to Wednesday and Thursday though. I have a feeling my guilty vote will go with one of those.
Gentlemen! You can’t have a reasoned debate here. This is a football blawg! – SEC Commissioner Merkin Muffley
Me thinks the Laner is about to put on a QB clinic for Beck and Bobo. He may not reach his typical stat line, but we’ll be pretty far behind before Beck gets going. Add in the mythical picks and Kirby may admit to himself he needs to rethink the Bobo, Searles, Coley retread and get Rashada ready. The QBs putting up points on good teams are fast, athletic, and on target throwers. Beck is not the first, mildly the second, and, for whatever reason, only part time the latter. My take is dramatic and over the top, I know. That’s how I roll!
Last time these 2 QBs were on the same field, one of them put up 50 and the other didn’t make it through the game. Not saying this is what will happen Saturday afternoon, but the Rebel Black Bears were a top 10 team last year when they came to Athens.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401520382/ole-miss-georgia
I’ll jump straight to day 4 and blame it on Bobo. Beck is a talented, experienced QB. This O has the kind of talent and experience other coaches can only dream of. Even Napier’s 3rd string QB looked better coached than Beck.
If it’s 3rd and 8, you can bet your last dollar CMB is going to send the WR out 5 yards.
So NIL money can’t be a distraction? Umm, gotta disagree on that one. Not saying it’s the cause for sure, but throwing 1.8 million at a guy who likely never had any money to begin with? It has to be considered. Not enough room here to list all the problems new money can cause.
If you have SEC Network (of course you do!) watch “Read and React” with Cole Cubelic and Roman Harper. Their take on Beck this year is fair, but more optimistic than the average fan.