ATHENS — Carson Beck sat at a table in Miami a little more than a year ago, talking about why he opted to return for another season at Georgia. There had been rumors and stories about money being the main factor, and it’s not to say it wasn’t a consideration. But as he sat there, Beck pointed to a simple reason: He wanted to play.

“I waited three years, didn’t play, and obviously, I’ve gotten the opportunity to play this season, and it’s fun,” Beck said days before Georgia finished its season with a win in the Orange Bowl. “It’s a lot more fun to be on the field than not being on the field. So knowing I get another opportunity to come back and play another year at the University of Georgia, it’s going to be a lot of fun and enjoyable.”

Fun and enjoyable? Maybe off the field. Maybe at times on the field. But in the end, Beck’s fifth season at Georgia, what all assumed was his last in college before going to the NFL, left plenty wanting. This week, Beck made a cold-blooded business decision: He deleted his Instagram post from two weeks ago declaring for the NFL draft, and his camp confirmed to multiple outlets, including The Athletic, that he would be entering the transfer portal.

Coming back to college. But not coming back to Georgia. It’s quite the plot twist, and if it holds, it puts Beck and Georgia on opposite ends of a big 2025 storyline.

For Beck, this would be betting on himself. It comes with risks, as elbow surgery leaves him unlikely to do much at spring practice for another program, and he would have to get to know his new teammates and coaches in meeting rooms before doing much on the field. But it’s a risk he’s exploring.

For Georgia, the optics may be bad, but it’s more about timing: Georgia always assumed Beck was turning pro, as did Beck. By the time he decided one more year in college may be worth it — whether it was what he was hearing from NFL teams or what he thought he could get on the transfer market — Georgia had moved on. It had allocated name, image and likeness resources elsewhere, had seen Gunner Stockton throw the ball pretty well in the Sugar Bowl, and ultimately was not willing to come close to what Beck could earn from a team more desperate for a quarterback.

That’s not to sugarcoat this news for Georgia. Undoubtedly, it creates more pressure on the team, the offense and three people in particular:

• Stockton, who has to play well enough, not necessarily in the stat department but in the wins. This assumes he’s the starter, rather than Ryan Puglisi or a transfer not currently in the portal. Stockton looked capable in throwing the ball against Notre Dame and good in running against Texas, and coaches and teammates love his intangibles. But his game management needs to improve, and he will now be compared to what Beck does or would have done.

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• Mike Bobo, who is in a prove-it year as the offensive coordinator and play caller. He had a great first year back at Georgia in 2023, guiding the nation’s fifth-ranked offense, being a finalist for the Broyles Award and coaching Beck into consideration for the Heisman Trophy and the No. 1 overall pick. But this season was definitely a step back for the entire offense, mostly the running game, and Beck’s regression is something Bobo wears, fair or not.

• And finally Kirby Smart, whose judgment on picking the right quarterback and coordinator will be monitored. These were questions pre-2021 for Smart, who seemed to quiet everyone with how Stetson Bennett turned out and by letting Todd Monken do his thing with the offense. By earning two national championships, Smart earned credibility. That won’t stop the criticism if next year’s offense is a dud.

Once more for emphasis: There is a chance Beck still turns pro. He may not like his transfer options, and this is not considered a strong draft for quarterbacks. But the fact that Beck is even exploring his college options creates pressure for his now-former team. If things go downhill, there will be a time when the world wonders why Georgia didn’t do everything in its power to bring Beck back.

There’s also plenty of reason for hope. Georgia just signed two transfer receivers, Zachariah Branch for the slot and Noah Thomas for the outside “X” spot, with Dillon Bell returning for his senior year and moving to his more natural position. Tight end Oscar Delp returning to the team with Lawson Luckie would be big, along with rising sophomore Jaden Reddell and 6-foot-7 freshman Elyiss Williams.

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The bigger concerns are the offensive line and the running game. The blocking wasn’t good this year, and now the line is losing four starters, including all three interior linemen. There are some good players with some experience coming behind them, but it’s largely a reset on the line, which doesn’t usually bode well.

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But a reason for optimism: Tailback Trevor Etienne returning, if he does, would mean a dynamic tandem with Nate Frazier, and Etienne passing on the NFL — where he’s projected as a mid-round pick — would be a vote of confidence in the blocking he expects next year.

On paper, this could be a good offense. But a lot has to go well. Hope is not a plan. There was always going to be immense pressure on the Georgia offense next year. Now its starting quarterback from the past two years appears to have ratcheted it up.

Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday declared a state of emergency in Georgia in preparation for the winter storm expected to hit the state on Friday.

The declaration activates the state operations center and mobilizes resources among state agencies including the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia Department of Public Safety. It also includes prohibitions on price gouging during the storm and temporarily increases height, weight and length limits for commercial vehicles transporting essential supplies.

“The Georgia Department of Transportation, along with the Department of Public Safety, began treating roads early this morning to prepare for the approaching winter storm, and I’m asking all Georgians to help them do their jobs by limiting travel as much as possible in the coming days,” Kemp said in a statement.

“Hazardous conditions, including ice and snow, can develop quickly and make travel very dangerous,” he added. “Plan ahead and stay tuned to updates from state and local officials to ensure you and your loved ones remain safe while our first responders continue to work tirelessly throughout this weather event.”

The state of emergency is in effect through Jan. 14.

The latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Atlanta predicts a mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow moving into Georgia by sunrise Friday and continuing to push east across the northern part of the state — including metro Atlanta — throughout the day.

North Georgia is forecast to see one to three inches of snow, with higher amounts likely in the North Georgia mountains. NWS predicts a mix of precipitation types in Atlanta and southwards, with snow in the morning transitioning to sleet and freezing rain.

The area is under a winter storm watch from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

STORY: :: Georgia prepares for winter weather

with brine and road treatments

:: January 8, 2025

:: Forest Park, Georgia

:: Natalie Dale, Spokesperson, Georgia department of Transportation

“Brine is that mixture of water and salt. So the brine goes straight from these tanks into those tankers. And then you also have a system of pipes here where from the brine production unit outside — so where we’re churning up that granular salt and water, it feeds into the tanks.”

“We sit in a very precarious place here in Metro Atlanta. And a lot of what we get is ice which is very different. It is hard, if not impossible, to plow sheets of ice. It is easier to plow that big, fluffy snow that you do get in the North. So we have to develop a winter weather plan that is specific to southern winters which are very different than northern winters.”

GDOT’s MAU manages the state’s largest brine operation, producing and storing hundreds of thousands of gallons of brine to treat roads before and during winter storms.

This operation is crucial for preventing ice buildup on major highways, such as Interstates 75, 85, I-20, and 285, which are prioritized for treatment during storms.

GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale says Georgia’s primary challenge during winter weather is ice, not snow.

“We sit in a very precarious place here in Metro Atlanta. And a lot of what we get is ice,” Dale said. “It is hard, if not impossible, to plow sheets of ice. It’s easier to plow the big, fluffy snow you get up north.”

Starting at midnight, GDOT crews and vehicles will begin brining roads as snow and ice are expected to impact the region on Friday.