Carson Beck is a player who is just phenomenal to watch. In his 4 years at Georgia Bulldogs, there would be very few games where he struggled. Still, his 2024 season was still a downgrade by his standards. Be that as it may, his injury late in the season might have cost the Dawgs their third national championship trophy in Kirby Smart’s tenure. But, all that would have been rectified if Smart had done just one thing in his 2024 season.
The Bulldogs’ season saw them win the SEC championship title by defeating Texas Longhorns in overtime. They finished their season at 11-3, losing 2 games on the road to Alabama and Ole Miss and the third to Notre Dame in a huge upset. But all this points to things that look very positive, right? Well, yes, they do, but if Smart had reinforced their offensive line, the season would have seen them reaching the final and lifting the trophy. And here is why.
Alex Donno, who runs the ‘Locked on Canes’ podcast, has a theory, “You know Carson Beck has seen everything, and if Miami can keep him protected, which is something he didn’t have. Much of their (Georgia) offensive line was not very good last year. I think Carson Beck can have a great year at Miami.” And, while this statement does look like a critique at first glance. It was actually the story of the Dawgs’ offensive line most of the last season.
For starters, the numbers speak for themselves. Take, for instance, the sacks allowed by them in the 2024 season (37), which is just poor. Furthermore, their rushing game was appalling at best, where the team averaged just 124 yards per game, the least in Smart’s era. And these are just numbers. Take another example of their game against Alabama, which they lost by 41-34. They gave away 3 sacks and successfully executed zero sacks. On the rushing front, too, they just gained 80 yards for 26 carries, while Alabama was blitzkrieging through their defense for 177 yards at 30 carries attempted. The O-line certainly didn’t help Beck in any way. But the receivers also weren’t helping him too much…
The receiving unit was also quite inefficient in the 2024 season. So much so that Beck must have muttered all season, ‘Should I put handles on that ball?’ Georgia‘s receiving unit dropped 36 passes this season. With players like Arian Smith, Dominic Lovett, and Dillon Bell leading the charts. In total, Beck had almost 665 yards dropped due to bad receiver plays. That essentially means even in this season, where he finished with a massive 3,485 yards, he would have gained 665 yards more on that. You math wizards try adding those numbers, and you will know what Beck was missing out on.
Well, all this points to only one thing: Kerby Smart really needs a lot to work on his offense and build personnel as soon as possible. But he may well be doing just that, right?
Kirby Smart’s plans for NIL in the future.
Well, Kirby Smart has got a lot going on right now behind the scenes. But, first, he needs to address his glaring QB problem after the departure of Beck to the Miami Hurricanes. Now, many would argue that he has Gunner Stockton, and that’s factually correct. But it’s not statistically convincing. That is because, after Beck’s injury, he played roughly 2 and a half games, of which one was very crucial and ultimately was lost to the Irish. So, he could still be the number one choice, but still, Smart will need someone as a solid second. So, who is in the Kerby pipeline?
Well, one of the names suggested is Florida Gators QB Deshawn Purdie. With his athleticism and firepower, he is a valuable addition to the team. Apart from his QB additions, Smart is also not shying away from using NIL to his full favor. Mike Bratton who runs ‘The Paul Finebaum’ podcast, provided the update.
“Well, Kirby Smart and Georgia are finally spending in NIL, bringing in some big transfers at the receiver position. So, uh, maybe a little bit of a revenge tour. You know, they have had mock revenge tours claiming seven and five was their prediction. No one in their right mind predicted that. But people are burying the SEC. I think they’re burying Kirby Smart and particularly his offense.” And it’s looking like a brand new arsenal with Kirby Smart’s signings that include 5-star transfer-rated Zachariah Branch (WR) from USC and 4-star Noah Thomas (WR) from Texas A&M. The verdict?
Well, the future is undoubtedly looking bright for Smart. Furthermore, Brian Kemp’s decision will enable Georgia to pay even more to their players. That could roughly see the whole roster payment exceed $22 million from $12 million last year. Only they would need the House v. NCAA lawsuit working in their favor. And, with such lucrative money coming Smart’s way, we could see him spending even more in the market for top players.
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