‘Can’t complain; I’m liking life’: Mitch Marner begins his Vegas era
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Kristen Shilton
SUMMERLIN, Nevada — Enter the Vegas Golden Knights practice facility and you’re met by a barrage of team logos, mascot drawings and even a faux brick-wall backdrop to the ice sheet reflecting the club’s established — and beloved — “Fortress” theme.
It’s the team store, though, that’s putting the team’s present — and future — on full display. Amid a selection of VGK-branded hoodies and jackets lined up outside, there’s only one player’s jersey in sight: Mitch Marner‘s.
Hardly a surprising choice, given that Marner is already the talk of the town.
“You heard of this new guy they got?” the taxi driver asks when he sees that the Golden Knights’ arena is the destination. “Mitch Marner. He’s supposed to be pretty good.”
The winger’s reputation clearly preceded him to the desert. At this point, Marner had yet to even suit up in one of Vegas’ preseason games but there was anticipation to see him in action — or even get a glimpse of him at the rink.
Fans in Marner sweaters crowded the floor to watch one of Vegas’ morning skates and see him flanking new linemates Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Afterward, they waited for him on the sidewalk outside — one fan holding a hand-painted picture they hoped he’d see and sign — to show their enthusiasm over the arrival of Vegas’ projected new star.
The hype is befitting of Marner’s departure from his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs to join the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal culminating with the signing of a massive eight-year, $96 million contract on June 30. At the time, Marner was a pending unrestricted free agent who, as the 2024-25 season wore on, appeared increasingly unlikely to re-sign in Toronto, for reasons that Marner later revealed included increasing harassment toward his family from local fans. So, the Leafs found a suitor in Vegas and received depth forward Nicolas Roy in return for their 102-point contributor.
A tough blow for Toronto? Absolutely. But Marner seemingly has no regrets as he embarks on this next chapter.
“Can’t complain; I’m liking life,” Marner told ESPN in September. “It’s been good. There is nice weather, and no traffic has been a nice little treat [coming from Toronto]. I’ve had a lot of love shown to [my family] so far through our time here, which has been amazing. A lot of excited fans. I want to go out there and do my thing and try to just keep doing what I’ve been doing the past years and contributing to help the team win games.”
Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon bet big on Marner being able to do just that. He’d been eyeing the 28-year-old since the NHL’s trade deadline in March, calling him an “elite playmaker and tremendous passer” who is expected to elevate Vegas’ top-line attack.
That sort of talent doesn’t come cheap, though, and it wasn’t until the Golden Knights put defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve with a potentially career-ending leg issue that Vegas had enough cap space to make Marner one of the highest-paid players in the league.
Marner has the regular-season résumé to back up that sort of financial commitment. Since entering the league in 2016-17, Marner has recorded 520 assists (fifth most among all NHL players) and 741 points (eighth most). But translating that success into the postseason has been a different story, at least in Toronto. And that’s only one narrative Marner will have to overcome if he’s to fulfill the lofty expectations in Vegas.
“He was our target; he was the player we wanted,” McCrimmon said. “I think [his addition] will improve our team tremendously.”
IT’S A RARITY in today’s NHL that a marquee player such as Marner actually moves on.
Toronto drafted him No. 4 in 2015 to actualize his childhood dream of one day being a Maple Leaf. He spent nine seasons as part of the organization’s infamously dubbed “Core Four,” a moniker applied to Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander — all Leafs’ draftees — and John Tavares when he came on board as a free agent in 2018. It was Tavares who, previous to Marner, made arguably the league’s most scrutinized free agent decision in recent years when he left the New York Islanders — as their captain no less — to sign with his hometown Leafs instead.
In time, Toronto would invest over half of its salary cap in those four skaters without getting the returns for which it had hoped. Pressure to perform intensified around that group each year that Toronto floundered in the postseason, having now recorded seven first-round or qualifying-round playoff losses in the nine straight years they claimed a playoff spot.
In particular, Marner and Matthews bore the brunt of criticism for the Leafs’ lack of achievement when it mattered most. Their impact wasn’t high enough. They didn’t mirror the opponent’s top skaters. Too invisible. Too disappointing.
On the heels of an especially crushing finish to another postseason run last spring — in which the Leafs blew a 2-0 second-round series lead over the Florida Panthers to fall in seven games — Marner was primed for a fresh start, even as the Leafs made their own aggressive pitches to keep him in the fold.
The lure of Las Vegas loomed.
“Once I heard they had interest, we were pretty interested right back,” Marner said. “This team, they’ve got a lot of skill. They got a lot of guys that really know what to do to win and buy into it. All I heard was amazing things about it here.”
Still, transitioning to another lineup after nearly a decade alongside the same teammates isn’t easy, especially when there’s certain standards to uphold. The Golden Knights are coming off another strong season in which they finished third overall in the league standings — one spot ahead of the Leafs — and had the fifth-best offense (averaging 3.34 goals).
Marner’s task will be finding ways to make Vegas even more fearsome up front. Coach Bruce Cassidy paired Marner with Eichel immediately in training camp and they’ve worked hard to build a rapport along with Barbashev. Eichel went into the partnership with an open mind and some familiarity with Marner from their past as part of the same draft class — Eichel was selected No. 2 that year by Buffalo. He has been impressed by Marner when they’ve battled on the ice in the years since then.
“I always had a really high respect for his game,” Eichel said. “So, nothing has surprised me about him coming in here. I knew the type of player he is. He could make a lot of plays, and he’s got a really creative hockey mind, and he moves so well. There’s a lot to love about his game. But he’s obviously a great guy, too. He’s really easy to get along with. He keeps it pretty light. He’s been a great addition to our locker room.”
Marner is hoping to follow Eichel’s lead there as well. The Golden Knights have a certain character that appeals to Marner, one that’s loud and familial and propelled by some well-placed barbs he’s looking to match.
“Jack’s pretty good at chirping,” Marner said with a laugh. “I’m going to join the group here soon enough doing more of that. I like to hear it too. Lot of loud mouths in here, which is great. I like that. And I like the high energy and the back and forth. If you want to be a part of a team, you want to have guys poking one another. It’s been a lot of fun to be here.”
That’s not to say Marner and Eichel also haven’t been putting in the work. Marner has benefited from playing with Matthews — one the NHL’s elite centers — for all of his career to date. Eichel is a top-tier pivot in his own right, but finding a rhythm with Marner has called for its own adjustments — and patience.
“You’re going to see things differently at times, and it’s just being open with your dialogue,” Eichel said of creating chemistry. “Just listening, reading off each other a bit, and just trying to jell and become closer off the ice as well. I always think that helps.”
Marner acknowleged it’s “a bit of a challenge” to find the right timing with a new center. The two were able to connect when they did finally appear in a preseason game, with Marner notching an assist on Eichel’s goal against Utah last Thursday. Marner had admired how Eichel carried himself even before that exhibition play. Cassidy’s decision to start them on a line was probably inevitable, but Marner could see independently that their skill sets would naturally align.
“He’s got that aura, just got the swagger into him,” Marner said. “He’s got that calmness out there. It looks like he’s not moving so fast, but his speed is outrageous. He gets really going quickly. And for me, it’s just trying to utilize that as much as I can, trying to find him in spots where maybe it’s not a direct pass, it’s laying a puck in the area and trusting his speed to get in. I’ll find areas that he can make plays into because his vision and his ability to make plays is really high-end.”
THERE’S A LIGHTNESS and excitement to Marner’s tone as he talks about his role with the Golden Knights, whether stationed with Eichel at 5-on-5 or quarterbacking Vegas’ top power-play unit. That spot is generally occupied by a defenseman, but Leafs coach Craig Berube eventually made Marner the man up top in Toronto last season, and he excelled.
Vegas wasn’t necessarily looking to upgrade its power play — it ranked No. 2 in 2024-25 at 28.3% — but given Marner’s experience, Cassidy slotted him there again as the club got to work on special teams in camp.
Cassidy leaned on his own instincts and recent past when it came to finding a home for Marner. Cassidy ran the power play for Team Canada at the Nations Face-off in February, doing a deep dive on his players — including Marner — to piece together optimal units. He had also seen the Leafs’ power play frequently — in the regular season and twice during playoffs — while coaching the Boston Bruins from 2017 to 2022, giving him a unique perspective on Marner’s evolution there.
“Midway through the year [in 2024-25], they used him on the top, as a five-forward look,” Cassidy said. “When I was in Boston, he was on one of the flanks. Was on a lot on his forehand when Mike Babcock was coaching him [in Toronto]. Matthews was a forehand guy. They’ve always had Tavares in the bumper. I probably know way too much about Toronto’s power play [by now] … [but] we had a very good power play last year. We’re mindful of that, so we want to build off that without tearing that down. But obviously we have a new piece that’s very good.”
Cassidy wants the “best fit” for Marner. If the player has any say, that will include being Vegas’ proverbial eye in the sky on the man advantage going forward.
“I find I can walk the line pretty well and make plays,” Marner said. “I’m not really trying to overshoot to score. I’m trying to shoot for sticks and make plays. It’s not like I have the craziest, hardest shot of all time, obviously. But if there’s an opportunity that I could walk in and try to find it and pick a spot, I’m going to try to do that and be tricky.”
Deception might be a hallmark of Marner’s playmaker mentality on the ice. He tried to be straightforward about why he left Toronto behind.
In an interview with TSN at Hockey Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in August, Marner opened up about harassment he and his family — including his wife, Stephanie, and newborn son, Miles — were subjected to over the final years of his Leafs’ tenure. He detailed how fans were posting his address online following the Leafs’ 6-1 loss in Game 7 of their second-round series against Florida last May, and his agent Darren Ferris said on the “100% Hockey Podcast” that they had to hire former NHL security personnel to deal with situations like “people throwing stuff in [Marner’s] yard.”
Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving responded to Marner’s comments with assurances that the organization is fully committed to protecting its players.
“In our business, your No. 1 priority is looking after your players, and I think we do a really good job of it,” Treliving said. “I don’t have any concerns that we don’t do everything humanly possible to make sure that they’re looked after.”
Marner said being targeted by fans wasn’t the only reason he wanted out of Toronto. But it did make it “tough” to consider staying.
“When your family’s safety comes into question, especially having a new son, I don’t think it’s acceptable,” he told TSN.
THE MARNERS HAVE SINCE received a warm reception in their new community, and found they’ve fit right in. Most of the Golden Knights live in similar neighborhoods near the practice facility, and it has made for easy bonding.
“We are settled in now,” Marner said. “Getting to know the group really well. The family’s obviously settling in too, which is very important. We’re getting there. We’ve unboxed the whole house. We’re feeling at home now. The wives have been really open and accepting and very kind to [Stephanie], inviting her out, getting to know them.
“Our area, there’s about six or eight of us [teammates] around each other, so that’s been nice. She’s been going for nice walks with them, and all the kids, the dogs. So, it’s been good for her. We’re really enjoying it.”
Another factor for Marner was the chance to capitalize on the Golden Knights’ often relentless pursuit of a championship. Vegas appeared in the Cup Final during its inaugural 2016 season and won the trophy in 2023. The Golden Knights have been to the playoffs in seven of their first eight seasons as a franchise, and advanced to the second round or beyond in five of those appearances.
That pedigree as a perennial contender with a willingness to do whatever it takes was hard to ignore.
“Definitely, I think you see it every year, that they are not afraid to go for it and make big moves,” Marner said. “So that’s something that excites you as well, and it’s what you want to be a part of. There’s a lot of guys in this locker room that [won] before a couple years ago, and that energizes you too.”
It’s a good thing Marner feels that way — because Eichel is blunt about where the Golden Knights see themselves now that he has one of the league’s premier wingers on his flank.
“Our expectation,” Eichel said, “is to win the Stanley Cup.”
That journey will begin in earnest when the new NHL season begins for the Golden Knights on Oct. 8 at home against the Los Angeles Kings. It’ll be Marner’s first real taste of playing for some place other than Toronto, with months to go before a meeting against his former teammates on Jan. 23.
That leaves plenty of time for Marner to emotionally prepare for a return — and whatever reception he receives from a passionate fan base that missed out on seeing him help Toronto end its league-high 57-year Cup drought.
And there are also the Olympics to consider. Marner relished his time helping Team Canada to gold at 4 Nations, and he’s also a strong contender to make the country’s roster for the 2026 Games in Milan.
That possibility isn’t top of mind for Marner right now. He’s just ready to embrace the moment at hand in Vegas: a new opportunity, a clean slate, and the chance to make the most of new memories.
“It’ll be really exciting, I know I’ve got a lot of family coming into town for that one,” Marner said of Vegas’ opener. “I know Miles will be on the glass, which will be a lot of fun to see him for the first time, just his facial expressions and stuff like that will be really cool.
“I’m just excited to see the building rocking. It’s always a loud building, it’s always pretty rowdy and crazy and I’m excited to feel the love on the other side of it.”
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Bill Connelly
Preseason All-American Cade Klubnik’s team is 1-3 and he’s 94th in Total QBR. Preseason Heisman favorite Arch Manning is 71st. Sam Leavitt, Nico Iamaleava and Drew Allar, all playoff quarterbacks in 2024, are 61st, 76th and 88th, respectively. On the flip side, Notre Dame redshirt freshman C.J. Carr and Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, a Division II transfer, are in the top five in Total QBR.
We knew this could be an odd college football season for quarterback play, with so many top teams fielding new starters and only a few known entities — including Klubnik and Allar, who have not earned that label — starting out near the top of the polls. But this has all been even stranger than we could have imagined.
With a month gone in the 2025 season, let’s take stock. We’ve seen plenty of stellar quarterback play, but a lot of it has come from unexpected sources. So let’s rank every power conference team’s quarterback (or quarterback situation) as we head into October.
(Note: References to rushing yards in stat lines below do not include sack yardage.)
Total QBR: 93.4 | Pass Yds: 1,587 | Rush Yds: 80 | Total TDs: 15
He was let down by his defense against Illinois on Saturday, but Maiava is comfortably No. 1 in Total QBR through September, and among QBR-qualified quarterbacks, he’s one of only two to rank in the top 20 in both completion rate (70.5%) and yards per completion (16.2). Illinois was comfortably his worst game of the season, and he still threw for 364 yards with a Total QBR of 85.5.
Total QBR: 88.4 | Pass Yds: 1,211 | Rush Yds: 306 | Total TDs: 15
We still don’t know if Vandy has the raw explosiveness (or defense) to survive a brutal upcoming run of opponents — next four games: at Alabama, LSU, Missouri, at Texas — but we do know that Pavia’s efficiency has gone from good to ruthless in 2025. Fewer negative plays, fewer (but more effective) scrambles and a 75% completion rate. Ridiculously good.
Total QBR: 87.6 | Pass Yds: 1,033 | Rush Yds: 269 | Total TDs: 7
Austin Simmons started the season pretty well as Ole Miss’ starter, but when he injured his ankle, Chambliss stepped in and Wally Pipp’d him. He’s creating more explosive plays with far fewer negative plays and more of a run threat. Last December, he torched Valdosta State to lead Ferris State to the Division II national title. This December, he might lead Ole Miss onto the field for its first SEC championship game.
Total QBR: 82.1 | Pass Yds: 1,208 | Rush Yds: 132 | Total TDs: 18
Indiana ranks first nationally in success rate*, and Mendoza ranks first among QBs. He survived an always tricky trip to Iowa City this past weekend, too, throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns (albeit with an interception and two sacks). Kurtis Rourke was a huge part of Indiana’s surprise success last season, and thanks to Mendoza the Hoosiers are doing as well or even better this year.
(* Success rate: How frequently an offense is gaining 50% of necessary yardage on first down, 70% on second and 100% on third or fourth.)
Total QBR: 83.0 | Pass Yds: 1,210 | Rush Yds: 131 | Total TDs: 14
After an easy start to his first season as Oregon’s starter, Moore faced the biggest test of his career on a White Out evening at Penn State last Saturday. He threw for a wonderfully controlled 248 yards and three touchdowns with no sacks or interceptions and three rushing first downs. There are more tests to come, but that’s how you become the Heisman betting favorite virtually overnight.
Total QBR: 87.6 | Pass Yds: 1,043 | Rush Yds: 238 | Total TDs: 14
Cincinnati is basically one poor pass away from being one of the biggest stories of the early season. Sorsby’s underthrown interception cost the Bearcats a potential win over Nebraska in Week 1. He has otherwise piloted what might be the most well-rounded offense this side of USC and Indiana.
Saturday’s track meet win at Kansas inserted Sorsby and Cincy into the Big 12 race.
7. CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Total QBR: 88.4 | Pass Yds: 1,091 | Rush Yds: 60 | Total TDs: 10
Trinidad Chambliss against Arkansas two weeks ago: 21-of-29 passing for 353 yards with a touchdown. Carr against Arkansas on Saturday: 22-of-30 for 354 yards with four touchdowns. Arkansas’ defense may have completely quit Saturday, but the Fighting Irish made it happen. Carr doesn’t offer much of a run threat, but his Total QBR rating has improved each game this season.
Total QBR: 84.2 | Pass Yds: 1,138 | Rush Yds: 86 | Total TDs: 13
In his first road start of 2025, against Florida State, Simpson was stressed and inaccurate. In his second road start, he beat Georgia, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another score (and two other first downs). Projected over 13 games, he’s on pace for 3,700 passing yards, 42 combined touchdowns and, at the moment, zero interceptions. First impressions are rarely accurate.
Total QBR: 87.0 | Pass Yds: 951 | Rush Yds: 283 | Total TDs: 8
The less fair way to look at Williams’ performance this season: He has faced one good defense (Ohio State) and bombed the test, averaging 4.2 yards per dropback with as many sacks (six) as points scored. The fairer way: Ohio State’s defense is going to do that to just about anyone, and he has torched everyone else. He’s still top 10 in Total QBR, after all, and that’s opponent-adjusted.
Total QBR: 77.6 | Pass Yds: 1,262 | Rush Yds: 250 | Total TDs: 17
Kansas hasn’t solved its close-game woes this season, but considering the Jayhawks topped 30 points in both losses, it’s hard to blame Daniels and the offense for that. Daniels threw for 668 yards with 109 non-sack rushing yards and seven combined touchdowns in those losses, and he and the KU offense will continue to give the Jayhawks a chance in the close games still to come.
Total QBR: 82.2 | Pass Yds: 987 | Rush Yds: 17 | Total TDs: 10
It’s almost impossible to grade Sayin on the same scale as everyone else. He leads the nation with a 79% completion rate, he has taken only two sacks and he’s third in success rate. He’s keeping the trains on time beautifully. But he’s also throwing mostly short passes to extremely talented receivers, and his defense has yet to allow double-digit points in a game.
Total QBR: 75.5 | Pass Yds: 1,215 | Rush Yds: 211 | Total TDs: 11
Obviously this one’s a bit tricky, as Mateer is out for an undetermined amount of time after hand surgery. But since he’s expected back at some point this season, we’ll put him on this list.
Mateer is also tricky to evaluate because Oklahoma’s offense has been mediocre this season (61st in points per drive, 56th in yards per play), but anything good has probably been because of him. He’s carrying a heavy load for an otherwise poor run game, and he’s distributing the ball nicely among four pass catchers. I didn’t think he should be the Heisman favorite for his play, but he’s playing well with a high degree of difficulty.
Total QBR: 85.7 | Pass Yds: 1,279 | Rush Yds: 183 | Total TDs: 14
Over the past three seasons, Virginia’s leading passers have averaged 2,098 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions per season. Projected over 13 games, Morris is on pace for 3,325 yards, 26 touchdowns and 10 picks. Throw in quality red zone rushing, and this is easily the best QB play the Cavaliers have seen since Brennan Armstrong’s peak in 2021.
Total QBR: 87.6 | Pass Yds: 1,398 | Rush Yds: 483 | Total TDs: 14
Like Jalon Daniels, you can’t really blame Green for his awful defense. All he has done is put himself on a pace for a season with 3,300 passing yards and 1,100 rushing yards (projected over 12 games). He still plays with fire — he has thrown five interceptions, and he has tempted fate with a few more INT-worthy throws — but he’s sixth in Total QBR because he makes more big plays than almost anyone.
Total QBR: 84.8 | Pass Yds: 1,183 | Rush Yds: 106 | Total TDs: 13
Sacks have become a problem for the veteran (he has taken 17 of them in five games), but he has hinted at a new level of upside in 2025 as well. In Saturday’s big rebound win over USC, Altmyer completed 20 of 26 passes for 328 yards and two scores and had a rushing TD as well. He’s completing a career-high 71% of his passes for a career-best 13.1 yards per completion.
Total QBR: 78.3 | Pass Yds: 848 | Rush Yds: 223 | Total TDs: 8
He’s never going to be the most consistent passer in the world, but almost no other QB combines Castellanos’ big-play passing threat with dangerous scrambling.
Virginia showed what can happen if you manage to hem Castellanos in and force him to pass instead of scrambling, but FSU still scored 35 points in regulation, and he still combined 254 passing yards with 78 rushing yards.
Total QBR: 72.2 | Pass Yds: 1,459 | Rush Yds: 76 | Total TDs: 15
After a nearly flawless start, Aguilar’s game has sprung some leaks of late — he has thrown five interceptions in his past three games and took a pair of sacks against Mississippi State. Still, he has brought the explosiveness back to the Tennessee offense, averaging 14.3 yards per completion while taking only three sacks all season. Not bad for a guy on his third school (and third offense) in 12 months.
Total QBR: 81.9 | Pass Yds: 972 | Rush Yds: 38 | Total TDs: 8
It’s hard to figure out Beck and Miami’s offense at the moment. The Hurricanes are up to third in the AP poll, and he’s the No. 4 Heisman betting favorite with a 73% completion rate (ninth among qualified QBs). But he’s 68th nationally in yards per completion (11.9) and 95th in interception rate (2.7%), and he provides no run threat whatsoever. The defense has been more responsible than the offense for Miami’s 4-0 start.
Total QBR: 77.6 | Pass Yds: 1,203 | Rush Yds: 184 | Total TDs: 12
Opponents have begun to figure Pribula out a bit, and he has seen his interception rate rise while his sack rate remains high. But the good still drastically outweighs the bad: He’s third nationally in completion rate (76%), and among power conference QBs, his third-down success rate (59%) ranks behind only Maiava’s 61%. He left Penn State because he was stuck behind Drew Allar, but he has drastically outplayed Allar thus far in 2025.
Total QBR: 88.2 | Pass Yds: 851 | Rush Yds: 158 | Total TDs: 8
At this point, Stockton is the personification of the Georgia program as a whole: clearly talented, pretty good at everything and not necessarily elite at anything. He has thrown 39% of his passes at or behind the line of scrimmage (sixth most), and he’s averaging just 5.9 air yards per attempt (seventh lowest). That’s keeping the Dawgs on schedule, but explosiveness is proving to be an issue.
Total QBR: 77.9 | Pass Yds: 1,713 | Rush Yds: 58 | Total TDs: 18
Keep the pass rushers off Robertson, and you’ll win games. Baylor is 0-2 when his pressure rate is above 27% (and his sack rate is above 3%), and the Bears are 3-0 and averaging 45 points per game otherwise. And no matter what, he’s a hell of a volume passer: Projected over 13 games, he’s on pace for nearly 4,500 yards and 44 TDs, and he leads the nation in both categories.
Total QBR: 77.0 | Pass Yds: 1,573 | Rush Yds: 23 | Total TDs: 13
The high-profile Tulane transfer has rebounded from error-prone losses to Illinois and Tulane. In his first two ACC games, Mensah threw for 537 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions and an 88.9 Total QBR, and Duke scored 83 points. If that’s a sign of things to come, the Blue Devils’ investment could end up paying off, and they could become sleeper ACC title game contenders.
Total QBR: 78.5 | Pass Yds: 1,242 | Rush Yds: 53 | Total TDs: 12
The negative plays were too much for Hoover and TCU to overcome at Arizona State last Friday — his 242 passing yards (and rushing touchdown) put the Horned Frogs in position for an upset, but two interceptions and a back-breaking late sack-and-strip (the last of six sacks) were too much to overcome. Still, Hoover’s high-volume explosiveness could keep the Frogs in the Big 12 race.
Total QBR: 77.6 | Pass Yds: 1,103 | Rush Yds: 97 | Total TDs: 12
ISU’s run game isn’t nearly as effective as it was supposed to be, but the Cyclones are 5-0 all the same, both because the defense is again solid and because Becht is nicely efficient. He ranks 24th in success rate — 11th on third or fourth down — and 26th in yards per dropback. The big plays are picking up too: He’s averaging 18.1 yards per completion over the past two games.
Total QBR: 77.2 | Pass Yds: 1,137 | Rush Yds: 29 | Total TDs: 11
Raiola’s 76% completion rate ranks fourth nationally, and his 11-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio is pretty sexy, but he somehow takes forever to throw (2.89 seconds on average, 108th) extremely short passes (6.2 air yards per attempt, 123rd) and takes a lot of sacks in the process (28.6% sacks to pressures, 119th). Still, the Cornhuskers rank 16th in points per drive and ninth in success rate so he’s doing something right.
Total QBR: 66.6 | Pass Yds: 1,076 | Rush Yds: 162 | Total TDs: 10
Reed is an explosive playmaker (14.7 yards per completion, 6.0 yards per non-sack carry) who, unlike lots of other playmakers, avoids sacks. He’s excellent against zone coverage too (14th in QBR vs. zone). But his overall efficiency is hit-or-miss (52nd in success rate), and he hasn’t solved man coverage (123rd in QBR vs. man). He’s good, but his profile is a mixed bag right now.
Total QBR: 66.0 | Pass Yds: 886 | Rush Yds: 210 | Total TDs: 5
He’s getting no help from a dreadful run game, and sacks remain a devastating issue — South Carolina ranks 126th in pressure rate allowed (which is potentially on the O-line) and 119th in sacks per pressure (which is on Sellers). But he’s still a playmaker: He averages 15.3 yards per completion (ninth) — with only one interception — and 9.2 yards per scramble. Both flaws and upside remain obvious.
Total QBR: 64.5 | Pass Yds: 1,065 | Rush Yds: 37 | Total TDs: 11
Injuries have piled up for Morton through the years, and he has already had to leave a couple of games this season with minor injuries as well. But when he’s out there, he’s super explosive: He’s seventh nationally in yards per completion (15.4) and sixth in yards per dropback (sixth). And backup Will Hammond has proved pretty stellar when he has had to enter the game.
Total QBR: 75.5 | Pass Yds: 758 | Rush Yds: 398 | Total TDs: 10
King attempts more designed runs than anyone on this list, and every time he takes a hit, he gets up looking like he has taken more career hits than Adrian Peterson. His toughness is unquestionable, but his actual passing rankings — 71st in yards per dropback, 48th in success rate — are awfully mediocre this year. He has a good backup in Aaron Philo, but the Tech offense has one note when King is in the game.
Total QBR: 72.5 | Pass Yds: 1,399 | Rush Yds: 86 | Total TDs: 11
Rutgers is averaging over 30 points and 400 yards per game for the first time since 2007 — the Scarlet Knights just hit 28 points in back-to-back games against top-25 defenses — and despite some pretty big sack issues, Kaliakmanis’ passing has been the primary reason for that. Unfortunately, the defense hasn’t held up its end of the bargain.
Total QBR: 64.1 | Pass Yds: 1,039 | Rush Yds: 352 | Total TDs: 13
After an offseason of pretty large hype, Leavitt stumbled out of the gate in 2025. But he has picked up steam since.
First two games: 42.0 Total QBR, 57% completion rate, 5.7 yards per dropback, 3 INT
Last three games: 73.6 Total QBR, 67% completion rate, 7.0 yards per dropback, 0 INT
He hasn’t been a top-30 quarterback over five games, but the guy we’ve seen in recent weeks sure is.
Total QBR: 78.4 | Pass Yds: 1,323 | Rush Yds: 125 | Total TDs: 12
Bailey has pulled an anti-Leavitt. Things started well, but the mistakes are adding up in a hurry.
First three games: 85.2 Total QBR, 7.7 yards per dropback, 1.1% INT rate, 2.2% sack rate
Last two games: 66.7 Total QBR, 7.0 yards per dropback, 4.1% INT rate, 8.8% sack rate
Perhaps not surprisingly, Bailey’s Wolfpack started 3-0 but have now lost two straight.
Total QBR: 78.8 | Pass Yds: 868 | Rush Yds: 225 | Total TDs: 11
We’re definitely seeing a lot of examples of a specific prototype in this section — lots of time to throw, lots of sacks, high completion rate on mostly short passes, a healthy number of (non-sack) rushing yards — and Chiles is a particular example. He’s hinted at huge explosiveness (17.7 yards per completion vs. USC), but the State defense is poor enough that he has to be great for the Spartans to do well.
Total QBR: 72.1 | Pass Yds: 1,027 | Rush Yds: 273 | Total TDs: 13
Dampier is mobile and heavy on designed runs, but he bucks the stereotype by taking almost no sacks. You can stay on schedule well with Dampier as your QB — as Utah is learning — but you won’t see many big pass plays, and if an opponent like, say, Texas Tech is knocking you off schedule frequently, disaster could follow. (Especially since nagging injuries are often a thing for a guy who gets hit that much.)
Total QBR: 55.7 | Pass Yds: 1,126 | Rush Yds: 111 | Total TDs: 10
Kevin Jennings charged into the starting lineup in place of a slow-starting Preston Stone last year and thrived, winning nine straight starts and eventually leading SMU to the CFP. Then, something broke.
First nine starts (2024): 9-0 record, 77.9 Total QBR, 9.2 yards per dropback, 2.5% INT rate, 3.6% sack rate
Last five starts (2024-25): 1-4 record, 59.0 Total QBR, 6.5 yards per dropback, 4.4% INT rate, 5.7% sack rate
He made some solid plays in losses to Baylor and TCU this September, but he’s still making too many mistakes to account for a sketchy defense.
Total QBR: 72.7 | Pass Yds: 1,029 | Rush Yds: 23 | Total TDs: 7
Moss pretty much had to be in the middle of this list because he couldn’t have a more average statistical profile if you created it in a lab: He’s 59th in completion rate (65.6%), 67th in yards per completion (12.0), 70th in yards per dropback (7.0), 76th in sack rate (5.8%) and 79th in INT rate (2.3%). You could do better, and you could do worse.
Total QBR: 76.4 | Pass Yds: 1,159 | Rush Yds: 50 | Total TDs: 8
The preseason Heisman contender dealt with a torso injury before the season and sure looks like he’s still dealing with it, but he has to throw all the time because LSU’s run game stinks. So he’s throwing quick passes (115th in air yards per attempt) but not completing a huge percentage (43rd in completion rate), and the ones he’s completing aren’t going anywhere (112th in yards per completion). LSU’s defense is finally excellent, but Nussmeier and the offense aren’t living up to their end of the bargain.
Total QBR: 77.3 | Pass Yds: 733 | Rush Yds: 185 | Total TDs: 5
Underwood is mature, and he has a huge arm and strong fight-or-flight instincts — he’s 38th in sack rate (3.8%) and seventh in yards per scramble (12.4). He’s also still learning the whole quarterbacking thing. He fires 99 mph fastballs when they aren’t necessary, and he has experienced bouts of inaccuracy (120th in completion rate). Improvement over Michigan’s 2024 QBs? Absolutely. Altogether good? Not quite yet.
Total QBR: 67.6 | Pass Yds: 697 | Rush Yds: 183 | Total TDs: 10
BYU has an excellent running back (LJ Martin) and an effective defense. The Cougars have the key components to survive starting a true freshman and trying not to ask too much of him. He’s completing 68% of his (mostly short) passes, using his legs a decent amount and avoiding negative plays. As long as he’s not being asked to make huge plays on third-and-long, he can keep managing the game.
Total QBR: 76.6 | Pass Yds: 684 | Rush Yds: 260 | Total TDs: 9
After briefly losing his job early in the season, Salter, the Liberty transfer, is back in the lineup, and he’s 21st in success rate with only one interception. But he’s facing constant pressure, scrambling and throwing outside the pocket a lot. It worked against Wyoming, not so much against BYU, and with games against TCU, Iowa State and Utah on deck, any hopes of a decent season will require some immediate stability.
Total QBR: 57.2 | Pass Yds: 888 | Rush Yds: 132 | Total TDs: 14
It almost looks like paralysis by analysis for Manning. He has been raised as a perfect quarterback specimen and knows every passing angle, and he seems to freeze up while considering what to do sometimes. He averages 3.1 seconds to throw (seventh most in the country), and he’s 100th in interception rate (2.8%) and 96th in completion rate (61.3%). Texas’ defense will buy him development time, and things could click at any moment, but they haven’t yet.
Total QBR: 66.8 | Pass Yds: 958 | Rush Yds: 5 | Total TDs: 8
Lindsey enjoyed a nice performance against Rutgers, throwing for 324 yards and three touchdowns in a win. He’s 15th nationally in success rate (52.8%) despite rarely throwing at or behind the line, though he’s averaging only 10.6 yards per completion against power-conference opponents. There’s absolutely no run threat here, but safe passing combined with strong defense should produce at least seven or eight wins.
Total QBR: 70.0 | Pass Yds: 846 | Rush Yds: 311 | Total TDs: 10
The returns, they are diminishing quickly.
Arnold has completed at least 65% of his passes in three of five games (with zero interceptions on the year). But he has taken at least four sacks three times, and he has taken 14 in the past two games. His protection is poor, and holding on to the ball too long is getting him hit constantly without any threat of big plays (9.7 yards per completion). This is an increasing disaster.
Total QBR: 55.6 | Pass Yds: 1,036 | Rush Yds: 131 | Total TDs: 8
After transferring to North Carolina and then returning, Browne has had three pretty good games (with a Total QBR of 71 or higher) and one dreadful one (three picks and five sacks against USC). He is getting little help from his run game and almost none from his defense, but he’s averaging 13.5 yards per completion, and he’s on pace for 3,100 yards and 18 touchdowns. Massive improvement for Purdue.
Total QBR: 54.3 | Pass Yds: 1,064 | Rush Yds: 117 | Total TDs: 9
Shapen scrambles a lot and takes too many sacks, but he does have occasional success as a big-play hunter. That has resulted in an upset of Arizona State — and a pick-six and a fumble-six in a narrow loss to Tennessee. We can probably expect similar volatility the rest of the year. (We can also probably expect MSU’s first bowl in three seasons.)
Total QBR: 58.3 | Pass Yds: 839 | Rush Yds: 175 | Total TDs: 10
Regarded as the top pocket passer in the 2022 recruiting class, Weigman has come to rely on his mobility. He has run for 13 first downs and four touchdowns, but he also has taken hits on 44% of his dropbacks (120th nationally). Regardless, it has added an extra dimension to pretty average passing (106th in success rate, 63rd in yards per dropback), and has helped keep Houston unbeaten into October.
Total QBR: 59.7 | Pass Yds: 1,019 | Rush Yds: 168 | Total TDs: 10
Where’s the sense of adventure? Johnson’s instincts seem to be tangled up as he attempts to convert great athletic skills into NFL-caliber QB play. He has spent most of 2025 taking few chances with his arm (one interception but only 10.7 yards per completion) and trying to avoid making plays with his legs (seven scrambles, albeit for 106 yards). He finally used his legs last week against UCF, however, and produced his best game of the year. Maybe that’s a sign of improvement to come?
Total QBR: 53.2 | Pass Yds: 1,038 | Rush Yds: 26 | Total TDs: 10
Maryland has given Washington training wheels. The true freshman has started from day one, and he dropped back to pass at least 35 times against his first three FBS opponents. Granted, a lot of those were quick sideline passes, and he’s completing only 51% of his passes at least 5 yards downfield. But he has thrown just one pick and taken one sack, and avoiding disaster has helped to keep the Terps unbeaten.
Total QBR: 48.5 | Pass Yds: 1,242 | Rush Yds: 62 | Total TDs: 9
Like Washington, Sagapolutele has gone straight to the deep end. The true freshman has thrown 178 passes, eighth most in FBS, and has alternated between flashes of excellence and, against San Diego State, absolute disaster (17-for-38 with two picks). If you grade on a curve, however, this is going about as well as the blue-chipper could have expected, and he should top 3,000 yards with about 20 touchdowns.
Total QBR: 50.0 | Pass Yds: 1,050 | Rush Yds: 133 | Total TDs: 12
Last season, Holstein was pretty good for about five games, then faded rapidly. This season, it took only two games. After torching overwhelmed Duquesne and Central Michigan defenses, he took six sacks with an interception against West Virginia, then threw two costly picks and got benched in the fourth quarter last week against Louisville. At his best, he’s a bold playmaker. But there are too many picks and sacks.
Total QBR: 63.0 | Pass Yds: 965 | Rush Yds: 133 | Total TDs: 11
Arizona has shown some life after a 2024 collapse, but it mostly has come from the defense and run game. In three games against FBS opponents, Fifita averaged a ghastly 4.9 yards per dropback with six sacks, and in the Wildcats’ loss to Iowa State last week he threw two interceptions and averaged just 7.9 yards per completion. When Arizona has to throw, the ball doesn’t really go anywhere.
Total QBR: 54.8 | Pass Yds: 1,188 | Rush Yds: 24 | Total TDs: 10
The Alabama transfer averaged 8.7 yards per dropback in his first start against an FBS opponent, then averaged 6.8 in his second and 4.9 in his third. Teams blitz him a little more each week, and his interception rate is going up at the same time that his average yards per completion is going down. He beat out incumbent Grayson James upon his arrival from Tuscaloosa, but the shine has worn off quickly.
53. Three injured QBs, UCF
Total QBR: 58.4 | Pass Yds: 938 | Rush Yds: 288 | Total TDs: 9
Cam Fancher injured his back just nine passes into the season. Tayven Jackson led UCF to three wins but hurt his shoulder and struggled against Kansas State. When Jacurri Brown also hurt his shoulder, Jackson came back in but accomplished little. Fancher should be ready this week if Jackson is too limited, and Jackson was pretty good in the blowout of North Carolina. But this is a fluid situation.
Total QBR: 45.1 | Pass Yds: 996 | Rush Yds: 94 | Total TDs: 7
It’s just shocking how poor Clemson’s passing game has been this year. Klubnik ranks 93rd in yards per dropback, 102nd in success rate and 96th in interception rate. He’s facing blitzes constantly behind a banged-up offensive line (the run game has been wholly mediocre), and he’s firing short and mostly ineffective passes. He posted a 78.7 Total QBR in 2024, but he hasn’t topped 60.0 in a 2025 game yet. This has been an utterly disastrous September.
Total QBR: 48.4 | Pass Yds: 763 | Rush Yds: 86 | Total TDs: 6
In one drive against Oregon, with Penn State down 14, Allar completed three passes for 56 yards and a beautiful touchdown lob. The rest of the game, he went 11-for-22 for 81 yards and a game-clinching pick. His big-game production is a known issue, but he hasn’t really produced against anyone, throwing few deep balls and averaging 10.8 yards per completion. This has not yet become the breakthrough year Allar hoped for.
Total QBR: 53.7 | Pass Yds: 1,105 | Rush Yds: 257 | Total TDs: 12
One of the more proven QBs in the ACC heading into 2025, Drones has averaged just 4.8 yards per dropback in four games against FBS opponents, with three interceptions and two fumbles. He remains a solid scrambler, but he’s facing constant pressure and has only once completed more than 59% of his passes. Tech has won two straight after an 0-3 start, but Drones hasn’t been particularly responsible for that.
Total QBR: 46.9 | Pass Yds: 636 | Rush Yds: 200 | Total TDs: 10
I had high hopes for the South Dakota State transfer, and he certainly has improved since a dismal start.
First two games: 25.7 Total QBR, 53.8% completion rate, 2.8 yards per dropback
Last three games: 64.5 Total QBR, 70.1% completion rate, 6.5 yards per dropback
Still, Iowa scored just 15 points against Indiana on Saturday and missed a shot at an upset. He’s getting up to speed, but the remaining schedule has lots of good defenses on it.
Total QBR: 54.6 | Pass Yds: 788 | Rush Yds: 252 | Total TDs: 5
Iamaleava was an unfinished product at Tennessee in 2024 — took too long to throw, too many sacks, too few big plays — but he has seen everything fall apart with a bad supporting cast at UCLA. He ranks 119th in yards per completion (9.7), 83rd in INT rate (2.4%) and 91st in sack rate (6.8%), and UCLA seems to start every game down 21-0. Per SP+, the Bruins now have a 61% chance of finishing 0-12. Ouch.
Total QBR: 35.7 | Pass Yds: 1,167 | Rush Yds: 20 | Total TDs: 5
Credit where it’s due: Like Gronowski, Gulbranson has recovered from an abysmal start.
First two games: 11.7 Total QBR, 51.6% completion rate, 4.8% INT rate, 3.2 yards per dropback
Last three games: 56.6 Total QBR, 66.0% completion rate, 0.0% INT rate, 8.0 yards per dropback
He led three late scoring drives to save Stanford against San José State last weekend, and honestly, 2-3 is better than I thought the Cardinal would be right now. But unless Gulbranson has another gear, a fifth straight 3-9 finish is likely.
Total QBR: 39.8 | Pass Yds: 916 | Rush Yds: 226 | Total TDs: 5
The well-traveled Ashford is what he is at this point: a low-efficiency (111th in completion rate, 120th in success rate), high-explosiveness (25th in yards per completion) passer with solid legs (29th in non-sack rushing yards). Ashford and Wake Forest started strong against both NC State and Georgia Tech, but he went a combined 13-for-31 in the second half, and the Demon Deacons lost both games.
Total QBR: 46.9 | Pass Yds: 690 | Rush Yds: 68 | Total TDs: 5
Lagway battled back from offseason injuries, but he has been a shadow of his freshman self. He’s making no big plays (8.3 yards per completion), his already-high interception and sack rates have gone up — he’s 127th in the former and 92nd in the latter — and his 1-3 Gators are projected favorites in just one more game. Barring an immediate course correction, this looks like a massive lost season.
Total QBR: 36.2 | Pass Yds: 753 | Rush Yds: 138 | Total TDs: 6
Edwards won the starting job and got hurt almost immediately. O’Neil has thrown mostly short passes ineffectively, combining 10.7 yards per completion (100th) with a dreadful 5.9% interception rate (131st). Edwards should return soon, but is he good enough to totally save an offense without a run game or deep threats (and zero remaining games as a projected favorite)? Probably not.
Total QBR: 21.6 | Pass Yds: 328 | Rush Yds: 20 | Total TDs: 2
Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending injury in Syracuse’s upset of Clemson, and against a disappointing Duke defense on Saturday, Collins struggled. Granted, his receivers lost two fumbles, but he also fumbled and threw an interception while averaging 5.6 yards per dropback in a 38-3 loss. He avoids pressure nicely, and there are a few more iffy defenses on the schedule, but this could be a learning process.
64. Two or three square pegs for round holes, West Virginia
Total QBR: 35.7 | Pass Yds: 770 | Rush Yds: 270 | Total TDs: 4
Nicco Marchiol can throw a little. Jaylen Henderson can run. Neither seems to be able to fulfill all the requirements in a Rich Rodriguez offense, however. After Marchiol oversaw a blowout loss to Kansas, Henderson oversaw a blowout loss to Utah. It’s possible a third option, Khalil Wilkins, starts against BYU this week after decent work during garbage time last week. Regardless, no answers have emerged thus far.
Total QBR: 37.6 | Pass Yds: 649 | Rush Yds: 122 | Total TDs: 1
Thrust into the lineup when Hauss Hejny suffered a foot injury early in Week 1, Flores threw two pick-sixes against Oregon and engineered a total of 15 points in his first two starts. He improved against Baylor, but he still averaged only 5.8 yards per dropback with a 45.3 Total QBR. Hejny should return soon, but per SP+, OSU (1-3) is a projected underdog of at least 12 points in every remaining game.
66. Gio Lopez, North Carolina
Total QBR: 16.3 | Pass Yds: 430 | Rush Yds: 105 | Total TDs: 4
After an exciting season at South Alabama (Total QBR: 72.3), Lopez has bombed in his first year in Freddie Kitchens’ offense. He has yet to produce a Total QBR higher than 35.0 in any game, and he averaged just 4.4 yards per dropback in two blowout losses, both of which he left injured. It might be best for both UNC and Lopez if Max Johnson were named the starter moving forward.
Total QBR: 22.1 | Pass Yds: 656 | Rush Yds: 15 | Total TDs: 4
Stone lost his job to Kevin Jennings at SMU last season and transferred, hoping to save both his college career and Northwestern’s offense. Four games in, he ranks 130th nationally in Total QBR, 100th in completion rate (60.6%), 103rd in yards per completion (10.4), 130th in interception rate (5.8%) and 98th in sack rate. That might actually represent improvement for the Wildcats, but yuck.
Total QBR: 25.4 | Pass Yds: 636 | Rush Yds: 89 | Total TDs: 3
Boley threw for 240 yards against Eastern Michigan, with seven completions over 20 yards. Against three defenses ranked higher than 135th in SP+, however, he and Calzada have gone a combined 36-for-75 for 396 yards with two interceptions and nine sacks. And 53 of those yards came on a single dump-off pass. The QB position offered almost nothing for UK last season, and it’s offering even less in 2025.
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Andrea Adelson
EVERY DAY FOR eight weeks, Carson Beck walked into the Miami training room before dawn and prepared to feel more pain than he had ever felt before.
He cringes when he thinks about those moments, even now, as No. 3 Miami prepares to take on No. 18 Florida State (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). Beck spent hours on the training table, working to restore the range of motion on his surgically repaired right elbow, praying he would be able to throw a football as fast and sure as he once did.
Peter Galasso, director of football rehabilitation and return to sport at Miami, would push and pull on the elbow to get it to start to bend. When Galasso felt resistance, he would push a little more. The pain was so intense, Beck wanted to scream, “What are you doing, get off of me!”
“It is 100 percent the worst part in the rehab process,” Beck says. “Your elbow is stiff, it’s tight, there’s scar tissue, and they are trying to move it against your will. It was pretty awful.”
Beck arrived in Miami broken in many ways — by the UCL tear, by a tough 2024 season that featured a barrage of on-field criticism, by the trappings of newfound celebrity and riches that put him under even more scrutiny.
When Miami offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson met Beck, he saw a guarded man. Trust had to be built quickly, because Dawson, Galasso and the training staff now held Beck’s future in their hands.
HAD THE 2024 season gone the way Beck wanted, he would be in the NFL right now. But the entire year proved more difficult than expected, even before the injury. He was living life under a microscope — there were headlines about his choice of car (a $300,000 Lamborghini), what he was being paid in NIL and his relationship with Miami basketball player and influencer Hanna Cavinder.
His play on the field dipped as the entire Georgia offense took a step back, and — fair or not — message boards were abuzz with fans wondering whether his off-field commitments were negatively impacting his on-field performance. To that end, a clip of him smiling toward the end of a November loss to Ole Miss went viral, making fans even testier than they already were.
Still, Beck led Georgia to the SEC championship game against Texas last December. On the last play of the first half, he felt something pop in his elbow when he got hit. He got into the locker room and could not grip a football. He slammed his helmet in frustration.
But that was not the end of his day. Despite standing on the sideline for the bulk of the second half with his elbow wrapped in ice, Beck was asked to go back into the game in overtime, when Gunner Stockton had his helmet knocked off and had to sit out the next play. His right arm dangling at his side, Beck jogged onto the field for what turned out to be his final play in a Georgia uniform.
He took the snap, and handed off to Trevor Etienne for the winning touchdown.
“Thank God I was able to go out there so the injury was not my last play, but handing off to win the game with an arm that was literally injured is crazy, because at the time, the training staff, those guys were like, ‘Oh, you’re good.’ So, in my head, I thought I was good as well,'” Beck said.
The following day, Beck went to the hospital for an MRI, then drove to the team facility. He spoke to offensive coordinator Mike Bobo, who asked how he was feeling as the Bulldogs began to prepare for their College Football Playoff semifinal game against Notre Dame in January.
“I was like, I’m good. I have high hopes, hopefully it’s not too bad. Hopefully it’s just a sprain and I’m able to play and we get some treatment,” Beck recalls.
Then one of the trainers asked to see him. Beck could tell right away it was bad news. When he walked into the room, he saw six people, doctors and trainers, waiting for him. They told him he had a torn ulnar collateral ligament and would need surgery. Smart arrived shortly afterward. Longtime head athletic trainer Ron Courson laid out the details.
But Beck had zoned out as he grappled with his new reality.
“Everything was just ripped away from me,” Beck said. “I’m thinking, what does this mean for me? What does this mean for my career? What does this mean for my future?”
Beck excused himself from the room and walked to his car and broke down. He sat there, in the parking lot, for hours. He eventually drove home, where his mom, Tracy, sister, Kylie, and other loved ones waited.
“We just hugged and cried,” Tracy Beck said. “But the good thing about our family is we take things, and we make the best out of it. Yes, you take a minute to cry, but we’ve got to get back up, and we’ve just got to do whatever it takes.”
Over the next few weeks, Beck and his family sought opinions on doctors to perform his surgery. Only a handful of quarterbacks had ever sustained this type of injury, most recently Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers. Just before Christmas, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache did the surgery in Los Angeles. Beck said his injury was similar to the one sustained in 2023 by Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, whom ElAttrache treated multiple times.
Beck said ElAttrache assured him after surgery he would be like new again. Quarterbacks recover at a faster rate from this injury than pitchers because throwing a football puts less torque on the elbow than throwing a baseball.
“The stress on the elbow is a lot less being a quarterback versus being a pitcher,” Galasso said. “So that changes how you plan out the rehab process, in terms of when they start throwing, how many throws they’re doing and at what distance.”
Beck had declared for the NFL draft in late December, and began his rehab back home in Jacksonville, Florida, with his longtime trainer, Denny Thompson. But the feedback Beck received about his draft prospects led him to withdraw his name and enter the transfer portal.
Shortly afterward, Dawson got a call from Thompson. Beck wanted to play at Miami.
CAM WARD DAZZLED at Miami a season ago, choosing the Hurricanes for his final season in college football to not only try and win a championship, but to boost his future NFL prospects. Ward led Miami to 10 wins and helped the Hurricanes become the No. 1 offense in the country, but the team didn’t make the ACC championship game or the College Football Playoff. Still, his play got the attention of NFL teams, and he became the No. 1 pick this past April.
With Ward gone, Miami was in the market for a transfer quarterback. Dawson started making some calls to find out what he and the Hurricanes would be getting in Beck.
Though Beck went into the year as the top-rated quarterback in the country, he was not nearly as efficient as Georgia trudged through the regular season, losing twice and barely squeaking out wins against Kentucky and Georgia Tech as double-digit favorites.
After turning the ball over 14 times over six games between late September and early November, coach Kirby Smart was asked whether he had considered benching Beck. “Absolutely not,” Smart said.
Beck’s decreased efficiency and accuracy weren’t necessarily all his fault: Georgia had issues across its offensive line, both in protecting Beck and running the ball. Georgia ranked No. 102 in the nation in rush offense, the worst mark under Smart. The pressure rate on Beck increased, too, from 19.1 percent to 20.6 percent. The Georgia receivers dropped 36 passes to lead the nation.
As teams started to pressure Beck more, his completion percentage dipped from 72 to 65 percent, and he threw more interceptions — 12 in all, double what he threw in 2023. One source familiar with the situation at Georgia said the two biggest issues Beck had last season were his body language, and losing confidence in the offensive line and receivers. When mistakes piled up, he would go to the sideline, dejected and disengaged.
Beck said he started to press, “trying to be Superman, trying to save the day,” and that the scrutiny kept mounting.
“It’s really weird, because my whole life I’ve been very introverted, and whether people believe it or not, I’ve really tried to stay out of the limelight,” Beck said. “A lot of times, in my position, you can’t because there is that hyper focused attention on you. I probably put myself in some situations that wouldn’t align with me saying that I tried to stay out of the limelight, and obviously that’s on me.”
The source said Beck was well-liked in the locker room, and his car and girlfriend were not the distraction the outside world perceived. But Beck’s introverted nature meant he was often not around his teammates while off the field.
Tracy Beck said all the negativity “took a toll on him.”
“To go through what he was going through, and all the negative and all the noise and all the things people were saying — at the end of the day, he only lost three games the entire time he was the quarterback. I don’t know how that’s so bad,” she says.
Dawson called former Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who recruited Beck to Athens and coached him for three years before leaving for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, because he knew he would get an honest answer. Yes, the Lamborghini came up.
“There was a change in him, from what I got from Coach Monken, as far as the newfound celebrity,” Dawson said. But Monken also told him, “If you get the Carson that I know with the right mindset, and he is 100 percent physically, you’re going to get a first-round quarterback. But that’s what you’ve got to find out.”
Dawson and Miami coach Mario Cristobal understood what they saw on tape, and believed they had the pieces in place to help Beck not only succeed, but regain his confidence and ultimately, his belief in himself.
“He is an extremely smart dude, and he’s actually a really good leader. He connects with people,” Cristobal said. “He could do what we like to do well, and at a high level.”
It was a given Beck would miss spring football, but after talking to the doctors and getting a timeline for his return, the coaches at Miami felt confident they would be getting the best version of Carson Beck.
Though he could not practice, Beck spent as much time as he could learning the offense, and perhaps more importantly, getting to know his teammates. Beck remembers walking into the Miami football facility for the first time in January and seeing Dawson and receiver CJ Daniels sitting together at a table.
Daniels had just transferred in from LSU and was coming off his own injury. They felt an immediate kinship — guys looking for a second chance, with a last opportunity to show what they could do. Dawson, meanwhile, told Beck the offense was his.
“Everybody wants to feel a sense of appreciation,” Dawson said. “It was just about making him comfortable. I do think his personality and my personality mesh well. I appreciate the times when things go well, and when we make mistakes, we hit them head on and then we move on. We don’t harp on it, and I think he appreciates that.”
ONCE BECK GOT his full range of motion back, it was eight weeks of arm strengthening exercises before he could throw a football again, four months postsurgery. He was on a pitch count: 20 total throws. Five at 7 yards, five at 10 yards and then 10 at 12 yards.
His arm felt dead as he adjusted to not only throwing again, but the way his elbow felt. Within two weeks, he felt normal — and knew he would be ready for the start of fall camp in August. But while he was working his way back, Beck was in the news again. Shortly after moving to Miami, he had his Lamborghini and a Mercedes stolen from the home he was sharing with Cavinder. The cars were not recovered. Then in April, Cavinder posted on social media that the two had broken up. They have not spoken since.
“You make mistakes as a person, but it sucks that you have to go through something like that with someone that you care about, and now it’s all over the Internet,” Beck said. “Half of what you see in the media is true. Half of what you see is not true. So, people pick their side of the story and run with it. The people that know the truth know the truth. But it’s been difficult.”
Beck says everything he has gone through over the past year has changed his approach to not only this team, but his own goals.
“I’ve been able to connect to myself more, and find who I am, and really do some soul searching,” Beck said. “It’s hard to say that I’m thankful for it all, but I am because I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without all of these things that have happened.”
Though Beck could not participate in team workouts until June, he spent hours at the facility with Dawson and his teammates. Dawson knew that the offensive game plan for this season would shift with Beck behind center because Miami had a strong offensive line returning, and its defense would be stout.
Because Beck came from a program that emphasized complementary football in similar ways, they all fit together.
“Cam came along at the right time because we needed that injection of confidence, we needed that swagger, we needed to be a certain offense last year to win 10 games,” Dawson said. “But we’re built different this year. Our defense is really, really good, our run game is really elite. So, Carson probably fits better into what we do this year.”
Once Beck was able to practice in August, those inside the building got to see what they hoped they were getting when he signed. He had chemistry with his receivers; he had an expert grasp of the offense; and yes, he had an offensive line that protected well and excelled in the run game. Offensive lineman Markel Bell praised him for his “humble” approach.
Everyone else got to see that for themselves in the opener against Notre Dame — as Miami relied on its defense, physicality and some explosive plays in the passing game to win. Afterward, Beck grew emotional in his postgame television interview as he reflected on what it took to reach that moment.
“The past eight months have been so hard,” he said as he fought through tears. “I’m just so blessed to be out here to have an opportunity to play again.”
Daniels, the leader of the receiver group, pointed to the relationship the two developed in the offseason, saying, “We had a point to prove, and I can’t be more grateful for Carson being the leader of it.”
THESE DAYS, BECK drives a truck and lives in a more secluded area. He’s living a less-flashy life. Now, it seems, he is getting enjoyment from other places. He has spoken repeatedly about how much fun he is having again, about the way his teammates have embraced him, about being allowed to play “free” this year.
Though he has not played perfectly, he is playing more efficiently, throwing for 972 yards, seven touchdowns to three interceptions while completing 73.2 percent of his passes — nearly 10 percentage points higher than a year ago.
So far, he is facing less pressure — a 16.2 percent pressure rate compared to 20.6 percent last year. He also has more time in the pocket — 3.2 seconds average time to the first pressure compared to 2.9 at Georgia last year. Those numbers directly correlate to his increased accuracy. “When I’m given time, and I’m able to dissect defenses, I believe that I’m very efficient, and I rarely miss,” Beck said.
The Hurricanes led the nation in offense last year, in part because they had to come from behind to win many of their games. This year, as Dawson predicted, the Hurricanes do not need the most yards or points in the country. They have relied on their superior defense (No. 13 among FBS teams) and ground game — with passes accounting for 48 percent of their offense through four games, compared to 57 percent last year. Despite losing the No. 1 pick, Miami is now the overwhelming favorite to win the ACC.
“The confidence of our group right now is high,” Dawson said. “We feel like we can beat you in a lot of different ways, which is a good place to be in offensively.”
Beck has embraced that, too. Dawson said in the second half against Florida, Beck turned to him and said, “We’re pushing them around up front. Let’s just grind it out.” That is what Miami did. There are areas Dawson wants to see Beck improve, starting with going through his progressions a little more slowly.
“Because they were getting a lot of pressure on him last year at Georgia, he is getting through his reads really quick and we’re missing a little bit of the intermediate passing game with that,” Dawson said. “My theme is this: Trust your progression and trust the protection.”
What his start to the season means for his draft stock remains to be seen. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid said Beck has been “one of the biggest surprises among quarterbacks in the country,” and is now a Day 2 prospect.
“His playing style as a true pocket passer, the weapons and protection of the Hurricanes, have helped him showcase those flashes of why evaluators were excited about him prior to the 2024 season,” Reid said. “With a pivotal upcoming matchup against Florida State, Beck has an opportunity to catapult his name up the rankings and improve his draft stock.”
For Beck, those conversations are for another day. Right now, he is focused on helping Miami win.
Mark Schlabach contributed reporting.
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Kyle Bonagura
The Big 12 Conference has fined Colorado $50,000 and publicly reprimanded the school after a derogatory chant from Buffaloes fans targeted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during Saturday’s football game against BYU.
“Hateful and discriminatory language has no home in the Big 12 Conference,” league commissioner Brett Yormark said Tuesday in a statement. “While we appreciate Colorado apologizing for the chants that occurred in the stands during Saturday’s game, the Big 12 maintains zero tolerance for such behavior.”
The chants of “F— the Mormons” were heard from the student section during BYU’s 24-21 victory in Boulder.
Colorado coach Deion Sanders apologized on behalf of the athletic department during his press conference Tuesday.
“That’s not indicative of who we are,” Sanders said. “Our student body, our kids, are phenomenal. So don’t indict us just based on a group of young kids that probably was intoxicated and high simultaneously.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have said that as well, but the truth is going to make you free. But BYU, we love you. We appreciate you and we support you.”
Colorado chancellor Justin Schwartz and athletic director Rick George issued a joint statement condemning the behavior, calling it “deeply disappointing” and inconsistent with the university’s values of respect and inclusion. They said those responsible would be held accountable under CU’s fan code of conduct.
BYU also released a brief statement Monday night on social media: “We denounce all forms of religious discrimination & appreciate @CUBoulder’s example in rooting out these inappropriate actions. We invite all to showcase their fandom with enthusiasm & respect.”
Saturday’s game marked the first Big 12 meeting between Colorado and BYU since the Buffaloes rejoined the conference last season. They also played in last year’s Alamo Bowl, which BYU won 36-14.
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