Georgia’s quest for a third national championship in four years might need to unfold with the Bulldogs’ backup quarterback orchestrating their offense.
Star signal-caller Carson Beck, a backup on Georgia’s title teams in 2021 and 2022, has been “exploring” surgery that’d repair an elbow injury, and the Bulldogs are “preparing” to operate without Beck during the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN.
The outlet added that Beck’s return this season is viewed as unlikely, which means redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton would start Georgia’s quarterfinal game on Jan. 1.
Beck’s injury occurred during Georgia’s victory over Texas in the SEC championship game when edge rusher Trey Moore tore toward Beck near the end of the first half and connected with his elbow while the redshirt senior was in his throwing motion.
Stockton replaced Beck for the second half and completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards and an interception.
But after he took a late hit in overtime, Beck replaced him and handed the ball off to running back Trevor Etienne for the championship-sealing touchdown.
“This kid is a winner,” Smart said of Stockton postgame, according to ESPN. “This kid is special.”
If Beck can’t return, Georgia, which faces the winner of Notre Dame and Indiana in the quarterfinals, would rely on Stockton to replace the quarterback who could become one of the top signal-callers taken in April’s NFL draft behind Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward and Quinn Ewers.
Stockton made four cameos — including the conference title game — during the season, completing 25 of 32 passes for 206 yards and an interception.
After replacing Beck against the Longhorns, Stockton led Georgia on three lengthy scoring drives — 10 plays and 75 yards for a touchdown, nine plays and 61 yards for a field goal, 16 plays and 72 yards for a field goal — to help keep pace with Texas and Ewers.
“Well, I think his strengths are somewhat different than Carson’s, obviously,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart told reporters earlier this month, according to ESPN. “But we’ve known that. There’s not a game we don’t go into that we don’t have a plan for Gunner if he were to have to play. I mean, when he’s your backup quarterback he’s got to be ready to play.”
And after Beck’s latest injury update, that might be the case for Georgia’s entire postseason run as the No. 2 seed.
