Carson Beck, the prodigal son of the Georgia Bulldogs, didn’t flinch even for a moment to put his NFL dream on the back burner for a year. Equal parts true is the fact that the player arrived as a timely upgrade for Miami, considering Cam Ward had departed. HC Mario Cristobal has only good things to say about his QB1, “He’s athletic, he’s smart… He’s demonstrated leadership qualities. He’s really hard on himself, he wants to be great and one of his best qualities is that he wanted to be at Miami.” Despite HC’s ringing endorsement, there’s more to Beck’s new chapter than what meets the eye—and it may not all be sunshine in South Beach.

Spring practice is nearly over with the spring game fast approaching, but there’s no telling sign when we are finally going to see Beck in the Hurricanes uniform. On the flip side, Cristobal and Co. couldn’t be more ready to welcome Beck, roping in a second-ranked class in the ACC that is brimming with talent and making roster additions like CJ Daniels (WR) from LSU, Ethan O’Connor (CB) from Washington State, 3rd-ranked edge Hayden Lowe and 13-ranked WR Joshua Moore.

Although Beck is observing practices from the sidelines keenly and is rearing to perform and practice after recovering from a long injury he suffered against Texas to his throwing arm, questions loom large if he will be able to perform fully. Quinn Ewers’ performances, for instance, saw a decline last season coming to an injury. At such a time, CFB insider Bruce Warner, a.k.a. The Truth Teller, wondered out loud whether the wide receivers of Miami would be able to hit their peak with Beck. Here’s what he said,

“When Beck gets here, it’s still going to be the question – Is he locked in with these guys? Are they on the same page? You know Ward got here early last year and worked with these guys, and look at what happened.

“I expect him to start throwing what by the end of this month [April], maybe May for sure; and spending a lot of time with those players in their own little practices someplace. Not organized, because it can’t be, but I expect him to work on a lot of the patterns and the timing. And he’s down there watching all this, and he’s observing who’s doing what and what guys run certain patterns well.” Whether Beck returns as predicted or no, we don’t know but the latest update we have from the HC was a week ago, and the update was as vague as it could get:

“Everything is ahead of schedule, and we’re excited about his progress… But I guess I’ll save all that talk for when he’s actually practicing so you guys could get a real-deal feel, get some good tape and some eyes on him so you can see him practice. You’ve got to take as many metal reps as you possibly can. It comes in the form of meetings on the chalkboard and walkthroughs during the course of practice… Meeting with the offensive line coach, meeting with the coordinator at length, daily. I mean, every possible minute we could grab with him to continue the progress of this while the rest of his body progresses is invaluable.”

Beck, who has injury concerns to look after, also has an onus to prove himself this season. In 2024, the player threw for 3,485 yards with a 64.7% completion rate, which again was a downgrade from his 2023 season. Moreover, his rushing stats also faltered, and he accumulated just 71 yards as opposed to 116 yards at an average of 1.9 yards per carry in 2023. His interceptions? Biggest hit. They doubled from 6 in 2023 to 12 last year. Then, there are also concerns about the player staring down wide receivers and giving high turnovers. So, if all these things are taken into account, the 2025 season will have a lot to prove for Beck and make his name visible on top in draft rankings.

Mario Cristobal accepts the brutality of the transfer portal

We all know the transfer portal and NIL have run havoc on college football so much that coaches are even canceling spring games in fear of poaching. Many coaches have justified their antics, while some have given convenient reasons to escape criticism. Still, one thing is certain now: NIL and the portal are here to stay, and coaches will need to be prepared thoroughly for any crisis. Mario Cristobal also echoed similar thoughts on the issue.

Top Comment by Rick Bowen

Carson Beck is a ghoulish looking dude! Idk how reliable the news is here in Boston, so is it true...more

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When asked about how he prepares for the eventuality, the Miami head coach paused for a moment and said, “I don’t complain. We just go, we work, and I believe in that. But what’s the best way to put this?” After a long pause, he added, “The portal is always open, regardless of the dates that are prescribed. Everybody’s in the portal everywhere. That’s what it’s like. That’s a reality of where we are in terms of college football now. You’re not going to find any complaining on this side. I want to say that 14 times, you adapt or you die, right? Bottom line.”

We have seen the Aggies suffering through a similar fate when not relying on the portal, and several other programs become easy pickings for powerhouse teams. Miami is trying to avoid that. That’s why the transfer and the drama that ensued were important for Miami after Xavier Lucas transferred from Wisconsin. The transfer wasn’t a minor one, but the declaration of war from Miami’s side, with Cristobal embracing both good and bad of the portal with open arms.