Kirby Smart reveals single area he wants to watch Georgia quarterback Carson Beck improve in

When it comes to Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, the thought of areas to improve upon is hardly the first thing that comes to mind.

But, even for a quarterback who some consider to be the best college football player in the nation, there are always ways to get better.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart recently spoke to that, and it has nothing to do with who the signal-caller is as a pure passer, how he utilizes the mobility and improvisation ability he's gotten some praise for or how he plays the game.

Smart wants to see his quarterback show a bit more emotion on the football field, he said when he sat down with the hosts of "SEC Now."

“That’s not comfortable for him. That’s just not who he is," Smart said. “But his teammates need to see that fire and grit sometimes too.”

Even if the "fire" within Beck isn't on display during in-game action the way his coach wants it to be, there's no question that he has it within him. Beck, who was a top recruit in the 2020 class, sat and held the clipboard when he probably could have been starting elsewhere.

That was one thing Smart commended him on, the way he stuck it out and waited his turn in an era in which so many players in similar situations opt to hit the transfer portal.

"The day and age when you go somewhere and you jump school to school, it's a popular trend, this kid stuck it out," Smart said at SEC Media Days. "He lost the starting job to Stetson Bennett the week of the UAB two years ago, and then said you know what? I'm sticking with it. I'm going to persevere. I am going to show resiliency, which is one our core traits, and he did that. He was able to monetize that as well by staying and succeeding where his feet are. He is a great elder for us and great example of resiliency in college football."

That decision paid off, as Beck demanded national attention in his first year as the starter. For the 2023 season, he finished out with over a 72% completion rate, passing for 3,941 yards with a 24-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also rushed for for 116 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Beck will have a chance to continue building upon what couldn't be a better opening year when he begins his second season at the helm of the Georgia offense this fall.