CFB insider blames Georgia’s offensive line for Carson Beck’s struggles in 2024

Carson Beck is getting a fresh start at Miami in 2025 after a tough year at Georgia, and college football expert and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said that the struggles weren’t all his fault.

Beck had a great first season as the Bulldogs' starting quarterback in 2023. After waiting behind Stetson Bennett, he led the team to an undefeated regular season. Beck threw for 3,941 yards, with 24 touchdowns and only six interceptions, making him one of the top quarterbacks heading into 2024.

At the start of last season, Beck continued to play well. In the first five games, he threw for over 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, as the season went on, things got harder. His accuracy dropped, throwing more interceptions, and his performance declined.

Beck still finished the year with 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns, but also had 12 interceptions, doubling what he had the year before. He then suffered an elbow injury in the SEC championship game, ending his season early.

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While some critics have zeroed in on Beck’s decision-making and execution, McElroy said on his “Always College Football” show on Tuesday that it might be due to poor protection.

"What's amazing to me, though, is that there are so many people that have pointed all of Carson Beck's flaws out without acknowledging the inconsistencies of not just his wide receiver core, which led the country in drops, but also his offensive line," McElroy said.

Georgia’s offensive line had injury problems, and Beck was sacked three times against Alabama and five times in a loss to Ole Miss.

"I thought his offensive line was so leaky at times last year that it was almost hard for Carson Beck to be comfortable at all," McElroy said. "He got hit time and time again. And I think at that point, he got a little bit rattled because the offensive line was really struggling."

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Greg McElroy believes in Carson Beck’s ability

Now at Miami, Carson Beck is expected to return fully healthy from elbow surgery. He’ll take over an offense that was one of the best in the country last year.

"I still believe that him – now with Shannon Dawson (offensive coordinator) and the young weapons that Miami has that are likely to break out this season – you could find him back very much in the mix as one of the top quarterbacks in the country,” McElroy said on Tuesday, via 'Always College Football.'

Beck is also expected to start in Miami’s season opener against Notre Dame on Aug. 31.