Top 3 players who could keep Kirby Smart's National championship aspirations alive in 2024 ft. Carson Beck
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are pursuing a national championship during the 2024–25 season after winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. The Bulldogs failed to make the College Football Playoff last season after their 27-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
The frustration from being held out of the CFP last season will be one of the biggest motivating factors for Kirby Smart's squad this season. Although Georgia will lose many key players ahead of this season, here's a look at the top three returning players who could be pivotal in Georgia's quest for a third national title in four years.
Top three players who could keep Kirby Smart's national championship aspirations alive in 2024
#1 Carson Beck, QB
A big returning piece of Kirby Smart's roster is the leader on the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Carson Beck.
He's returning for his senior year after completing his first full season as a starter in 2023. He led the SEC with 3,941 passing yards and added 24 touchdowns last season with just six interceptions.
Beck has completed a highly efficient 72.4% of his passes and led the conference with 302 total completions. He also had his most effective season on the ground in 2023, finishing with 116 yards on the ground with four rushing touchdowns. His career year earned him Second-Team All-SEC last season as well.
He's on pace to become one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft and has championship experience under Kirby Smart as the backup in 2021 and 2022.
Beck was a four-star recruit out of high school in the class of 2020. He received just 12 total offers from schools, including Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Miami before signing with Georgia to play behind Stetson Bennett.
#2 Malaki Starks, S
Safety Malaki Starks is returning for his third season as a part of Kirby Smart's defense after earning All-American honors in 2023. The First-Team All-SEC safety ranked sixth in the SEC last season with three interceptions. He also added 52 total tackles with seven total passes defended.
Georgia's secondary will be losing key pieces, including Javon Bullard, Kamari Lassiter and Tykee Smith, after their transition to the NFL. These departures make Starks' presence in the secondary even more vital.
Freshman KJ Bolden and redshirt freshman Justyn Rhett will be behind Starks at FS, which doesn't give Georgia much experience with the current depth they have at that position.
Starks was the fourth-ranked national recruit in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports, earning offers from top programs like Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, LSU, USC, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
He eventually chose to sign with Georgia and has been a major part of Kirby Smart's secondary, including his freshman year, when Georgia would win their second straight national title.
#3 Trevor Etienne, RB
Trevor Etienne is joining Kirby Smart's offense in 2024 as the lead running back after the departures of Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton.
Etienne is entering his junior year after playing the previous two seasons with the Florida Gators. He entered the transfer portal in December, following the conclusion of the 2023 season.
He committed to Georgia just over two weeks after entering the transfer portal and is gearing up to join Georgia's high-octane offense, expected to be their lead back. He ran for over 700 yards each of his first two seasons and has 15 total career touchdowns.
Etienne was one of the top running backs to enter the transfer portal this year and will be a huge addition to Kirby Smart's offense in 2024. They also brought in receivers Colbie Young and London Humphreys from the transfer portal.
Etienne was a four-star recruit in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports, and had a long list of 23 offers from some of the top programs around the country. That included offers from Alabama, Clemson, Auburn, Georgia, LSU and Tenessee.
He would commit to Florida, but after finishing with a losing record in his first two seasons with the Gators, he moves to a Georgia team that has been more successful in recent seasons.
Who do you think will be the most important player for Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs in 2024? Let's know in the comment section: