All the blame seems to fall on Carson Beck. Critics claim he’s self-centered, did not support his teammates, and became an unreliable player after signing a NIL deal and cruising around Athens in a Lamborghini.

There, does that make you feel better, Georgia fan?

Now for some hard reality: when Beck, the former Georgia quarterback, chose to enter the transfer portal last week after initially opting for the NFL draft, the very first team to pursue him was Georgia, alongside coach Kirby Smart.

A source close to Beck’s situation, who requested to remain unnamed due to the sensitive nature of the matter, informed YSL News Sports that not only was Georgia first in line for Beck—who faced backlash from Georgia fans on social media following the Bulldogs’ early playoff exit—but SEC powerhouse Alabama quickly followed suit.

Beck signed with Miami less than 48 hours after entering the portal, making a do-not-contact request, leaving one pressing question in light of the rapidly changing and unusual circumstances: Who should truly bear the responsibility for Georgia’s offensive struggles this season?

While it’s easy to point fingers at the quarterback, the more complex truth lies with the coach and the team surrounding him.

Georgia’s usually strong offensive line was underwhelming throughout the season and struggled significantly in pass protection. The receiving corps, which hasn’t been a strong point in the nine seasons under Smart, continually faltered against a challenging SEC schedule.

When the College Football Playoff came around, Georgia—without Beck, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury in the SEC championship—looked completely outmatched, suffering a humiliating defeat against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal.

Georgia managed just 10 points against the Irish, rushed for 62 yards on 29 attempts, and received a hollow 200-yard passing performance from backup quarterback Gunner Stockton. The offense, under Smart’s direction, had never appeared this inept.

Sadly, that CFP defeat was merely the latest in a series of offensive failures that characterized the season. Aside from a lackluster second-half showing against Alabama and an overtime victory over Georgia Tech, the offense was a mess.

According to Pro Football Focus, Georgia receivers recorded 31 drops this season, with senior Arian Smith leading Power Four conference players with 10. The team experienced its worst rushing offense in nine seasons under Smart, finishing 102nd nationally with an average of just 124.4 yards per game.

That figure—hold on for this—was 50 yards lower than the previous worst season under Smart. And it gets even worse.

Georgia allowed 25 sacks this season, the most in any season during Smart’s tenure. As guard Dylan Fairchild remarked after the loss to Notre Dame: “We gave up too many sacks, faced too many pressures, and didn’t execute our run blocking well enough.”

So how did Georgia find itself in this position? Historically, Smart has struggled to recruit proficient wide receivers—an area where his mentor, Nick Saban, excels. It was so dire last season that Georgia’s top three receivers all came from the transfer portal: RaRa Thomas, Colbie Young, and Dominic Lovett.

Thomas was arrested before the season and never played. Young was arrested in early October and only participated in the first five games of the season. Lovett, a possession receiver, had six drops, according to PFF.

By November, Smith, the only true No. 1 receiver, had become unreliable.

In December, Smart signed five new wide receivers and brought in three transfers, including USC’s Zachariah Branch and Texas A&M’s Noah Thomas, two of the top receivers available. It’s clear this is now a top priority.

Smart began the past season with plans to increase Georgia’s passing game, allowing Beck and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo more flexibility. Beck was set to have greater freedom at the line of scrimmage to steer the offense away from poor plays, transitioning from the run-heavy approach seen previously.

At the start of the season, Beck was regarded as a top NFL draft prospect. However, by its conclusion, he had dropped to a projected mid-round pick. While his elbow injury and the subsequent six-month rehabilitation period played a role, his performance also raised concerns.

Beck’s statistics—yards, passer rating, completion percentage, and average per attempt—all declined from the previous year, while his interceptions went up. Georgia went from dominating opponents in 2023 to narrowly escaping wins against Kentucky, Mississippi State, Florida, and Georgia Tech.

Inevitably, the spotlight fell on Beck as the scapegoat. It’s common for quarterbacks to take the blame, even if they also receive extraordinary praise.

If there’s any doubt, consider who reached out to Beck first when he entered the transfer portal.

Miami boasts a skilled and seasoned offensive line and likely won’t invest $4 million in a one-time NIL deal without planning for future moves. The Hurricanes won’t start the 2025 season with a roster full of young, inexperienced receivers.

They are likely to make strategic moves in the portal to equip Beck with the necessary weapons at wide receiver.

The very approach Georgia should have embraced from the beginning.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.