Why hasn't Kirby Smart and Georgia named a starting QB? Exploring the latest surrounding Bulldogs QB battle & whether Carson Beck has a leg up or not

Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart has not named a starting quarterback for the 2023 season, even with the season opener just over a month away. This decision comes after the departure of Stetson Bennett, who led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, and is now playing in the NFL.

Instead, Georgia is hosting an open competition for the starting quarterback position, with Carson Beck, Brock Vandagriff, and Gunner Stockton vying for the role.

Who is competing for the Georgia Bulldogs starting quarterback job?

Carson Beck has the most experience of any quarterback on the Georgia Bulldogs roster. He joined the team as a four-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class and has played in ten games over the past two seasons.

During that time, Beck has thrown for 486 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions, completing 36 of his 58 passes with a 62.1 completion percentage. He has also contributed 58 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Brock Vandagriff is the only other quarterback on Georgia's roster who has seen game action. He arrived as a four-star prospect in the 2021 recruiting class and has attempted three passes, but none have been completed. Vandagriff did, however, manage to rush for seven yards on one carry.

Gunner Stockton, a four-star prospect from the 2022 recruiting class, is also in contention for the starting quarterback position, even though he hasn't played in a game yet.

Additionally, the Bulldogs' quarterback room includes Jackson Muschamp and Collin Drake. Muschamp, a two-star prospect from the 2020 recruiting class, and Drake, an unranked prospect from the 2021 recruiting class, round out the options for Georgia.

What has Kirby Smart said about the Georgia Bulldogs quarterback battle?

While Kirby Smart has not named a starting quarterback for the 2023 season, Carson Beck appears to have a leg up in the positional battle. Speaking with Chris Low of ESPN, the Georgia Bulldogs coach stated:

"He's certainly the leader, but hasn't done enough to say he's the starter. We'll know when they go against the defense and they've got 10 third downs in a row and we're blitzing the hell out of them. We'll find out then because they've got to go against competition."

Kirby Smart noted that Beck was ahead of two-time champion Stetson Bennett on the depth chart at a point:

"There was a time when the coaching staff had Beck in front of Bennett, so we inherited a pretty good quarterback if we thought this guy was better than Stetson Bennett. People forget that, but there was a leapfrog in there and Stetson ended up being the best guy and it turned out to be the right decision."

Kirby Smart added that he believes the Bulldogs roster is more well-rounded than their two title-winning teams. He noted that the program is better equipped to handle a decline in quarterback play.