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UGA coach gives update on Carson Beck injury
Will Carson Beck play in the 2024 College Football Playoff? That's up in the air for the UGA quarterback whose throwing arm was hit in the SEC Championship game against the Texas Longhorns. Beck was out for the second half of that game, only coming back in momentarily during overtime. Coach Kirby Smart gives an update on Beck's right arm injury.
ATHENS, Ga. - Will University of Georgia quarterback Carson Beck play in the 2024 College Football Playoff? It's not looking too good for Beck after he received an injury during the SEC Championship game against the Texas Longhorns.
Beck was hit by outside linebacker Trey Moore on the final play of the first half, forcing a fumble recovered by Anthony Hill Jr.
The senior quarterback was left prone on the field at the end of the play and needed assistance before rising to walk off the field.
Carson Beck #15 of the Georgia Bulldogs lies on the ground after an injury against the Texas Longhorns during the second quarter of the 2024 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 07, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Gett …
Beck was one of the last players to return following halftime. He was holding his helmet but did not warm up. He remained on the sideline as backup Gunner Stockton led the offense to its first touchdown on the Bulldogs’ opening drive of the second half.
He returned to the field for the last snap after Stockton was hit hard, passing the ball off to Trevor Etienne for the touchdown run that secured the Bulldogs a 22-19 overtime win.
With the Sugar Bowl coming up on Jan. 1, Georgia fans are nervously waiting to see if Beck will recover from his injury in time.
On Monday, UGA announced he and his family were exploring treatment options for his injured elbow. There's no current timetable for when he could return.
He's not the only Dawg on the bench indefinitely.
Punter Brett Thorson was also injured during Saturday's game. He'll require a season-ending knee surgery on his non-kicking leg.
"Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers," head coach Kirby Smart said. "I’m confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way."
Coach Kirby Smart gives update on Carson Beck's injury
Carson Beck #15 and head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrate after defeating the Texas Longhorns 22-19 in overtime of the 2024 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 07, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Ge …
Speaking to DawgNation after Georgia's win, head coach Kirby Smart said that Beck had an "upper extremity injury."
"We don’t know to what extent. Basically, we looked at it in there, and it looked okay. But he couldn’t have grip strength and throw the ball in the locker room. So it was a little bit painful for that," Smart said.
The coach said at a press conference that Beck had an MRI done Sunday morning and the team was waiting on the results.
Smart said that Beck went to Sunday's team meeting after getting the MRI and seemed "somber."
"Tough deal for him in terms of not being out to finish in the second half, but he's also excited for his teammates and happy that it ended the way it did," he said.
Beck now has three weeks to recover before the team faces the winner of Notre Dame and Indiana. In the meantime, Stockton also has time to prepare in case the injury leaves the star quarterback on the sidelines.
"This situation does give you time if that’s what has to happen," Smart said. "I mean, there is time there. But, I mean, experience is so valuable, and you can’t really get experience in this amount of time. I wish he’d gotten more game experience up to this point in time. There’s not a lot we can do about that right now, so we’re just waiting to find out more information."