Carson Beck, the former starting quarterback for the championship winning Georgia Bulldogs, made headlines on Friday the 10th, when he announced he would be transferring to the University of Miami for the next college football season. This came as a shock after he had declared for the NFL Draft shortly after having surgery for his season ending ulnar collateral ligament. Lots of speculation has been behind this announcement, let’s dive right in.
Beck began his college career starting with committing to play baseball at the University of Florida in his sophomore year, before deciding to play football and giving his word to the University of Alabama. He later decommitted to them too and ended up at the University of Georgia. There, he redshirted his freshman year in 2020, and was the backup quarterback to Stetson Bennett, where he gained experience gearing up to start in the following seasons. That season came in 2023 when Beck earned the starting position, leading the Bulldogs to a 13-1 record and the Orange Bowl, just shy of the playoffs. That season, he also had amazing stats, recording a 72.4% pass completion for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns with just 6 interceptions. In the 2024 season, he was still on a roll with an 11-2 record, 3,485 passing yards, and 28 touchdowns.
His season came to an end when he injured his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament in the SEC Championship game, preventing him from playing in the first 12-team playoff. When his head coach, Kirby Smart commented on how the game without Beck will go, he said, “It’s just a whole lot more urgent now.” After evaluation, he was now required to get surgery, sidelining him for a projected March 2025 return and the playoff game versus Notre Dame, which would hinder his draft opportunities. After initially declaring for the draft, concerns for his draft stock due to injury gave him some food for thought about his options. On January 9th, Beck entered the transfer portal, and within 24 hours news broke of his new home, the University of Miami.
The news of the Georgia star transferring was a bombshell which was quickly closely inspected as to why Beck had made such a rash decision. The initial reasoning was obvious, as his chances of getting drafted in the first or second round were slim. By spending his 5th year with the Hurricanes, his goal is to rehabilitate from his injury and improve his stats before going out for the NFL again in the 2026 draft class. Many however turned their eyes to his new NIL opportunities. NIL, or Name, Image, and Likeness deals have become the forefront of college athletics, now that players can earn money incentives in college. Beck secured a $4 million deal with the Hurricanes, making this move not only good for his physical health but for his financial well being as well.
Miami also benefits from this deal as they come off of an amazing season, but with that, they are losing their star quarterback, Cam Ward, the Heisman contender who has entered the draft. Beck’s arrival fills a critical gap on their roster and provides him another spotlight opportunity to lead a prominent program with a strong supporting cast, with weapons to boost him and their stats and seasons. Beck’s transfer is a significant boost for the Hurricanes, as rather than having a freshman quarterback to build around, they can keep the ball rolling with Beck’s experience and proven track record as a valuable asset to the Bulldogs. Now that their centerpiece is in place for the 2025 season, the Hurricanes aim to build upon their recent success and contend for a spot in the second 12-team playoff in 2026. With this larger than life deal, they are expecting Beck to elevate the team’s performance.
This announcement came with a lot of attention across the college football landscape. Some analysts view this move as a strategic decision that benefits both Beck and the Miami football project, but not all. David Pollack, a former Georgia Bulldogs defensive end and college football analyst, had some critiques of Beck regarding his decision. “I don’t want to say this… but it’s like damaged goods right now. Like you don’t know what you’re getting, so if you’re going to make a heavy investment (in Beck) I think it’s kind of hard to do if you’re a college team.” Many agreed with Pollack’s take, but many looked towards other gains for Beck.
After people heard of the news of Beck going to Miami, all eyes were laser-focused on the controversial social media star, Hanna Cavinder. Sporting News reported that Cavinder, the Miami basketball player, was first linked to Beck over the Fourth of July when Beck shared photos of the two. More speculations arise as to why Beck really made this decision after Cavinder posted a TikTok of her and Beck on the 11th dancing to the audio “All about the U” to celebrate his still fresh announcement. Word was spreading that the move was more for personal gain to be closer to Cavinder, whose twin sister fanned the rumors by commenting on the video “add canes football recruiter to your resume,” as reported by The Spun.
As the 2025 season is set to take center stage this fall, all eyes will be on Carson Beck and the Miami Hurricanes, and the pressure will be on. Fans and analysts alike are eager to see how this partnership unfolds and the impact it will have on the College Football community. All in all, Carson Beck’s transfer to the University of Miami after major success with the Bulldogs represents a significant development in the effects of NIL on college football. Beck’s journey is a testament to the complexities and the considerations that define modern collegiate athletics, and we can only watch and wait to see what happens next, and what this move holds for the future of all of the many college athletes in the transfer portal.
