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Strong spring, so-so G-Day for Georgia football starting quarterback Carson Beck

Nobody ever saw their Heisman Trophy chances go up in flames with a performance in an April spring game.

So Carson Beck, the quarterback who led Georgia football to an unbeaten regular season last year and gave fans reason to celebrate when he announced his return, shouldn’t sweat throwing a couple of interceptions in the first half of Saturday’s G-Day game.

And he didn't, even though he said it was probably the first time in a long time he’s thrown two interceptions in a day.

“Shoot, I don’t really count the first one because it got batted,” Beck said. “The second one was on me. I thought he was going to do something different and I came back and didn’t really look at it. Threw it. It wasn’t the guy I thought was in there, but the two picks happened. It doesn’t really matter.”

Beck did something he never did all last season, throw a pair of interceptions in a game.

Of course, this wasn’t a game, but an intrasquad scrimmage in Sanford Stadium.

Mykel Williams batted a ball in the air at the line of scrimmage and snagged the interception.

Then inside linebacker CJ Allen was the recipient of a throw over the middle that he picked off.

“I thought the defense played much better today then they did in previous scrimmages in terms of energy and enthusiasm and running to the ball,” coach Kirby Smart said. “They rushed the passer better today. The offense probably didn’t have as good a day as they’ve had in maybe the two scrimmages, but some of that was the terms of which we scrimmaged with which was passing and loose plays.”

Beck by all accounts wrapped up a strong spring. This was just the last of 15 spring practices.

He still threw for 301 yards on 25 of 46 passing with two touchdown passes Saturday along with the picks in a scrimmage that ended in a 20-20 tie.

“Carson had a great spring to me,” Smart said. “He’s had a quiet leadership. He’s got a lot of confidence. When things aren’t going well, the kids and players and O-line turned to him. He had really good moxie out on the field. He never pressed and got frustrated even today.”

Beck led a 4-play, 70-yard game-tying touchdown drive in the final minute that included a 39-yard completiong to Rara Thomas.

“He’s going to be even better than what he was,” said wide receiver Dillon Bell who had two catches for 22 yards Saturday. “He’s going to prove himself to be the best player that he can be. We’re not worried about whatever happened today. It’s the spring game. We’re going to see what happens on Aug. 31 against Clemson.”

That will be in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a game matching two high-profile programs with national championship pedigrees.

“The next time we put on those uniforms it will be for real,” Smart said.

This one was the third and final spring scrimmage.

The winner usually gets steak and lobster and the loser “beanie weenies,” beans and franks, but what if nobody won? Smart said the handful of guys that played on both squads earned the steak and lobster.

Smart could have chosen to run a play instead of kicking a point after when Beck hit Dominic Lovett on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds to go.

Reminder. This was only a spring game.

“I didn’t want to put a two-point play on tape,” Smart said.

Beck and the Red offense scored a touchdown on just one of five first half possessions against the top defense that was on the Black team.

“I thought towards the end we started to pick up a little bit, you know pick up the pace and all that was really a mindset thing for us,” Beck said.

Beck had 24 touchdowns to 6 interceptions while completing 72.4 percent of his passes last season when he threw for 3,941 yards. Now he's back for a fifth college season. He began and ended the spring as the unquestioned starter.

“Just tried to go out there and have fun,” Beck said of Saturday. “Tried to be excited for the guys when good things happened. Tried to see the offense and see what we’re capable of. We have a few transfers in there, a few new guys. Tried to get them the ball and see what kind of plays they could make.”

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Carson Beck finished a strong spring with a so-so G-Day for UGA football