"Carson Beck is a great leader": Kirby Smart gives due credit to Georgia QB after close game against Kentucky in Week 3

Georgia coach Kirby Smart wouldn’t have been very happy about his team’s performance in Week 3 against Kentucky. However, he didn’t stop praising his quarterback, Carson Beck, after the 13-12 victory over the Wildcats.

It was supposed to be an easy day at the office for Georgia, but the Bulldogs barely crossed over the finish line against the resilient Wildcats. Talkin about Beck post-match, the Georgia coach said:

"Carson is a great leader. He didn’t panic. He made plays when he had to."

Beck led a clutch final drive, showing his composure by making key throws and even running the ball when necessary.

“He put us in the right plays. He’s a really good football player that we put a lot on and ask to do a lot. We’ve got to do a better job of protecting him, and we’ve got to put him in better situations.”

Though Smart’s offense only managed 262 total yards, Beck’s decision-making under pressure stood out. There’s no denying that Georgia has been weak in the passing game, but Smart clarified that the fault didn’t lie solely on Beck.

"It wasn’t about Carson tonight. It was about many other things," the Georgia coach stressed while crediting Kentucky’s aggressive defense.

The Bulldogs will need to improve to keep their championship dreams alive. Kirby Smart believes that with Beck at the helm, the team will grow in confidence and return to dominating games.

Kirby Smart analyzes SEC game against Kentucky

The Bulldogs clearly struggled against the Wildcats. For most of the game, they didn’t have the right answer to Kentucky’s strategy. It was concerning for Georgia fans to see Kirby Smart bamboozled on the sidelines most of the time.

The 48-year-old offered his analysis post-game as he addressed his team’s offensive struggles. Smart pointed out the SEC’s unforgiving nature on the road, saying:

“When you're playing on the road in the SEC, you've got to respect that. And I'm not sure our guys listened to the message all week ... You don't judge SEC teams on one week ... We did what we had to do, but we did not play real well.” [01:40]

The former Alabama defense coordinator had his defensive strategy on point, strongly holding down the fort and allowing less than 300 yards. However, the offense had a bad day. Beck only had a 60% completion rate and didn’t manage to secure any touchdowns.

The offensive woes were clear. Outside of Trevor Etienne's 90-yard contribution, the Bulldogs couldn’t establish a rhythm, averaging only six yards per attempted pass. Kirby Smart called upon his team to show resilience, citing similar past challenges.