Carson Beck Opens Up on Intimate Bond With Caleb Williams’ Mentor Who Did the Unthinkable for Miami QB

Carson Beck is quietly gearing up for what could be the defining moment of his CFB career. Almost written off after last season, the former Georgia QB opted out of the draft and took a punt on Miami. The team that produced the No. 1 pick this year. In the same position as Beck. After recovering from elbow surgery that sidelined him earlier in the year, Carson is entering the Hurricanes’ matchup against Miami fully cleared and focused. Aside from the Miami coaching staff, there’s one person that Beck credits for his growth at quarterback, a coach with a history of training greats at the position. 

Coach Denny Thompson has over a decade of experience training the quarterbacks. In some cases, the QBs connect with Coach Thompson as they look to prepare for the draft. Right from rotational mechanics to using advanced technology to fix issues that may come up with the pros. Even the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, chose to connect with the coach back in March that year. What does Coach Thompson mean to the new Miami QB1? Well, everything.

On the August 28 episode of the Storm Sessions podcast, Beck got candid about coach Denny Thompson, who shaped not only his throws but also his mindset and his life. “I’m trying to think of when we officially met. I would have been [when] I was 14 or 15 years old. He actually trained the quarterback that was playing in front of me at the high school I went to. That’s kind of how we initially met, and I started to train with him.” 

Beck’s journey started at Mandarin High School. Before he tasted the natty success as a backup QB for Georgia, Carson was winning Florida State Championships for his high school. His involvement with Coach Thompson grew after he got the starting gig at the Bulldogs.

“He handles so much of the behind-the-scenes things of my life… He’s been like a dad to me,” Beck said. His future plans were lined up when he started the 2024 season, but nothing went as planned. The Georgia offense struggled, and Carson didn’t always put his best foot forward. He was also not helped by inconsistent O-line play and drops from his receivers. Even then, Kirby Smart’s team made it to the SEC Championship game with Beck as their starter. But it all changed just before halftime. Carson hurt his elbow and forced out of the game. 

“This year after the injury, going through all the rehab process. He must have spent a hundred-plus days down here in Miami, and he’s got a family up in Jacksonville, so it’s like constantly being down here, constantly traveling,” Beck said, adding how grateful and thankful he is for what the Coach had done for him.

There’s a real tenderness to this story. Beck is an SEC-tested competitor, yes—but underneath it all, he has leaned on someone who quietly watched him grow from a teenage hopeful into a leader on the field. That father-figure presence hasn’t just shaped drills; it’s shaped his life. But how will that translate in the glare of Hard Rock Stadium? 

Carson Beck’s turning point from Baseball Diamond to Football Field

Well, Carson Beck’s path to college football stardom almost never happened. In fact, as a freshman at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida, Beck committed to play baseball at the University of Florida. That was his first love, and for years it looked like the diamond would be his stage. But when he finally stepped onto the football field under Friday night lights, everything changed. As he put it, “I always thought I was going to go play baseball… but the first time that I actually had the opportunity to play football in high school, it’s just a different feeling and the energy… I’m going to say juice, right? Like there’s nothing that can compare to that.” So how did baseball slip away from someone talented enough to build a career in it?

The answer lies in passion. Beck didn’t mince words about what separated the two sports for him. “Baseball is baseball… it’s boring. Let’s be honest,” he admitted. He acknowledged his talent was good enough, in his words, to “possibly have tried to make a career out of it.” Yet the pull of football was stronger, a force that left no room for doubt.

From that realization forward, the diamond gave way to the gridiron. And with that choice, Beck began the journey that would ultimately take him from high school promise to leading SEC champion Georgia and now Miami. The question is, how far can that decision carry him?