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 Alabamawas 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…
