“I'm thinking of that Tennessee game, that was do or die”: Paul Finebaum makes his stance clear on why Carson Beck will perform better at Miami

Carson Beck’s journey this offseason has been intriguing. Initially, the quarterback announced his intention to declare for the 2025 NFL draft. However, he later reversed course, opting to transfer to Miami, where his girlfriend, Hanna Cavinder, plays for the women’s basketball team.

While some believe the decision won’t turn out well following his time at Georgia, Paul Finebaum sees potential in the unexpected transfer move and a positive result. The SEC Network analyst believes Beck could lead the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff in 2025, as the situation with the Bulldogs in 2024 did not excite him.

“I believe he does,” Finebaum told to On3 when asked if Beck can get Miami to the playoffs. “Carson Beck is a very good quarterback who at times last year, really helped bail Georgia out. And I’m thinking of that Tennessee game in particular, that was do or die. I still like him.”

“He had so little to work with, the talent around him was so different than the year before, with (Brock) Bowers and (Ladd) McConkey, that he just never could adapt, and he just didn’t look happy. Maybe learning to drive a Lamborghini just really overwhelmed him."

Carson Beck will take over at quarterback for Miami, replacing Cam Ward, who departed for the NFL and is projected to be one of the top picks in the draft. Despite Ward's talent, he was unable to guide the Hurricanes to the playoff last season, a responsibility that lies on Beck moving forward.

Paul Finebaum believes Carson Beck entering the draft was a mistake

Carson Beck was projected as the first overall pick for the 2025 NFL draft in some quarters ahead of the 2024 season. However, his performance during the season led to a significant drop in his draft stock. Paul Finebaum noted that his draft declaration was a mistake.

“(Beck) was ill-advised to go into the draft, first of all, because of the injury and because there was never going to be a good read on that,” Finebaum said.

“So I think that made it easier for him to slip away than just going into the portal. Georgia fans were in some way fatigued with Carson anyway. They lost a better quarterback than the guy they have.”

Miami experienced a resurgence in the 2024 college football season, emerging as a strong contender for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. However, the Hurricanes missed out on the title game following a final-week loss to Syracuse. The hope is to have Beck lead them to a better season in 2025.