Kirby Smart, Georgia teammates pinpoint problems Carson Beck needs to fix: 'Disastrous things'

ATHENS – Carson Beck and Kirby Smart agree on the biggest problem facing Georgia's quarterback right now.

On Saturday, Beck said his in-game decision-making needs to improve. Of his 11 interceptions this season, five came on first down. He knows he has to do a better job of throwing the ball away.

To underscore this point, Smart emphasized that Beck cannot continue to make “disastrous” plays.

“I think the concern is that the errors cannot be catastrophic,” Smart said Monday. “You have to make good decisions. And the two plays where he ends up turning the ball over didn't look great defensively against that call, like we expected something different. So when that happens, you have to play for the next down, right? This is most common in football. You have to be willing to take a down and keep going, especially if it's the first down.

“But I still think he did the right thing in 68 of 73 decisions and made some really, really quality plays and throws in the game. So it’s about reducing the catastrophic things.”

It would be great to make 68 of your 73 corners in basketball. Her parachute failed to open in 68 of 73 skydives. And when the interceptions are as damaging as Beck's on Saturday, it creates a game that shouldn't be too closely contested.

With games against No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 7 Tennessee on the horizon, continued mistakes will turn those games into losses.

“There's a quality now, if you look at the NFL, all sports, the quarterback position, resiliency is a big quality,” Smart said in defense of his quarterback. “And the only thing this guy has done, when he had to, is go out with his back against the wall and make a few throws. He survived some bad throws early in the game. But I think he continues to show that. I think that’s a good thing.”

Beck and Georgia outscored Florida 28-7 in the second half. And Smart was quick to say on Saturday that it wasn't just Beck. Georgia's head coach criticized the wide receiver group for a lack of execution.

When asked how Georgia can improve in this regard, Smart had an answer.

“The same thing we did every week, practice it. I mean, put it on tape,” Smart said. “That's what we do. We practice it every week. We do it with mass noise. We do this using different communication methods, and only one is required. 52 of them can be done right, one can be done wrong, and that one is the wrong thing people are talking about. So you always have to do it right.”

The team knows that Beck is currently under intensive observation. There have been comments about how much Beck trusts those around him, especially with Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey now starring on Sundays.

But his teammates still believe in Beck and know the Georgia quarterback is capable of not turning the ball over at a worrying rate.

“I know there's probably a lot of things going through his mind. At the moment, of course, as you say, he was frustrated,” Dillon Bell said Saturday. “You know, you have to keep it positive, you know, because you don't want to throw an extra ball. You don't want your quarterback to be down, especially in a big, close game.

Saturday's game against Ole Miss is certainly a big game. Even with wins over Texas and Clemson, Georgia is far from making the College Football Playoff. Ole Miss will certainly play a role in the initial rankings, which will be released on Tuesday. Ole Miss also leads the SEC in sacks and tackles for loss.

It will take a team effort on Saturday. And Beck has to do his part, even if there's even more on his shoulders at the moment.

“It’s the whole team. “We have full support behind Carson,” tight end Ben Yurosek said. “We trust him. We know the way he prepares, the way he practices, and we have full support behind him, not a moment of disbelief toward our quarterback.”