ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia proper guard Tate Ratledge couldn’t imagine it when he heard quarterback Carson Beck calling the ultimate play in time beyond regulation of the Southeastern Conference championship recreation in opposition to Texas.
Beck was considered out for the rest of the sport with an arm harm suffered on the final play of the primary half. Coach Kirby Smart instructed ESPN he didn’t assume Beck would return. The quarterback’s proper arm was wrapped in ice on the sideline, including to the assumption he wouldn’t come off the sideline.
A tough hit on Beck’s backup, Gunner Stockton, in time beyond regulation modified the plan. Stockton needed to depart the sector for one play after his helmet was knocked off.
It was Beck who returned to take the final snap and hand off to Trevor Etienne for the operating again’s decisive 4-yard landing run in No. 5 Georgia’s 22-19 time beyond regulation victory over No. 2 Texas on Saturday.
“I feel once we received the play and all people noticed it was Carson, it was it was fairly juiced up in that huddle and that ended up being the play that gained it,” Ratledge mentioned.
Beck was hit by outdoors linebacker Trey Moore on the ultimate play of the primary half, forcing a fumble recovered by Anthony Hill Jr., who then misplaced the ball on an errant try to increase the play with a lateral as time expired.
Beck was left susceptible on the sector on the finish of the play and wanted help earlier than rising to stroll off the sector.
Beck was one of many final gamers to return following halftime. He was holding his helmet however didn’t heat up. He remained on the sideline as Stockton led the offense to its first landing on the Bulldogs’ opening drive of the second half.
Stockton took the arduous hit from Andrew Mukuba in time beyond regulation, knocking Stockton’s helmet to the turf. An on-field name of focusing on was reversed following the assessment. Because Stockton misplaced his helmet and the focusing on name was reversed, Stockton needed to depart the sport for one play.
That pressured Smart’s determination between turning to a different backup, Ryan Puglisi, or presumably contemplating Beck.
“He is aware of he is aware of the system, he is aware of what to do,” Smart mentioned about Puglisi earlier than including he was instructed by an offensive assistant coach that Beck “can take a snap. It’s not a difficulty.”
Even although Beck may hardly increase his proper arm, he was in a position to take the snap and execute the handoff on the decisive play.
Smart mentioned Stockton would have returned if Etienne had not ended the sport on the landing run.
Stockton accomplished 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception.
“I feel Gunner did an excellent job standing up like he needed to,” Ratledge mentioned. “I feel him coming into the sport made all people notice that that is the brand new juice we’ve received to come back out of the second half with. And I feel all people did an excellent job with it.”
With Beck within the recreation, Texas outgained Georgia 260-54 however led solely 6-3 at halftime. The Bulldogs netted minus-2 yards speeding and Beck accomplished 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards.
Stockton and Beck weren’t obtainable for interviews.
A key profit for successful the SEC championship recreation is incomes a first-round bye within the College Football Playoff. That offers Beck extra time to heal from what Smart described as an higher extremity harm. Smart mentioned assessments can be wanted to find out the severity of the harm.
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