Following a rollercoaster last season with Georgia, filled with both moments of greatness and a grueling elbow injury that kept him out for their playoff push, Carson Beck shocked everyone by choosing not to enter the NFL Draft and instead entering the transfer portal and ending up at Miami. Beck’s move to Miami wasn’t solely about the cash, though. He’s taking over some large shoes, replacing No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward from the 2025 NFL Draft. Beck is all cleared and back to full strength and throwing with confidence as summer drills begin.There’s a feeling of fresh energy around him—of a quarterback having a reboot, with a new playbook and a new group of weapons at wide receiver. Okay, so he’s still shaking off the injury, and critics are quick to note his problems last season, but the story is there for a comeback tale. In the 2025 season, all eyes will focus on Miami’s schedule, key in Beck’s redemption arc. Danny Kanell, a voice recognizable to college football enthusiasts, was not shy about discussing Carson Beck’s move to Miami.In a YouTube short video, Kanell states that the Hurricanes are “laying all their bets on Beck,” pinning it on him to be the player who will get them from a solid team to an actual playoff team. Kanell’s verdict? He is coming in with massive expectations, and he doesn’t have the talent around him that the quarterback last year had, nor does he have the skillset that Cam Ward did. Beck’s entering an offense that lost its top receivers and a locker room that’s hungry for leadership. Kanell’s not only sweating Beck’s return—he’s concerned about the entire Miami machine. The Hurricanes lost their top six pass-catchers, dudes like Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, and Sam Brown, all to the NFL or new campuses, leaving a wide receiver corps that’s essentially starting from scratch.Filling Cam Ward’s shoes adds stress as he was not just a quarterback, but also the driving force behind an offense that excelled in scoring and led the nation in production. Beck will pass to a group of unknown transfers. Developing timing and confidence will take time for him, as accuracy and rhythm are his strengths. “But I think Miami fans are expecting like zero drop-off, like this is the year,” Kanell says. “I think there’s a far greater, far greater chance that Miami misses a bowl than they win the ACC,” he adds. And here’s where Kanell’s doubts start: he questions out loud if Miami would fall short of bowl eligibility this year, and it’s a huge deal for the Hurricanes, as they are one of the ACC favourites.The slate is tough—opener against Notre Dame, a possible top-five opponent, and then a gauntlet of ACC powerhouses such as Clemson, Florida State, and Louisville. Now, if they won’t even win 6 games this season, the bowl will be difficult. The Hurricanes will also be introducing a new defensive coordinator, Cory Heatherman, and last season’s defense gave up 26 points a game, not exactly a shutdown unit. Whereas Beck provides experience and big-game credentials, the supporting cast and the schedule may be too much to overcome. Miami can’t afford mistakes: Beck needs to sync with the new receivers, the defense must improve, and the team’s energy needs to be boosted. The Hurricanes might be in for a rough season, where a 8-9 win prediction won’t suffice, and the season will end without a bowl invitation.The ghost of Cam Ward’s legacy comes back haunting Carson BeckAs Miami fans and analysts wonder if the Hurricanes can rebuild their identity and chemistry in time, the spotlight only gets hotter for Carson Beck. Now, stepping into the huddle as Miami’s new quarterback, he’s following in the cleat marks of Cam Ward, a guy who didn’t just set the bar—he launched it into orbit. In a standout season, Ward threw for 4,313 yards, 39 TDs, and had a 67.2% completion rate with just 7 interceptions. He led Miami to 10-2, a 13th-place ranking, and earned ACC Player of the Year before going first in the 2025 NFL Draft.And now, enter Carson Beck. He’s got the credentials—a two-year starter at Georgia, a man who took his team to the playoffs and had some good numbers: 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns, and a 64.7% completion rate last year. But the numbers don’t capture everything. Beck’s 2024 season was a rollercoaster. He had 12 expensive interceptions, many of them in critical situations, and was behind an offensive line that left him having to scramble more times than he’d like.The comparisons are relentless. Analysts and fans alike can’t help but wonder: can Beck pick up where Ward left off? The oddsmakers aren’t optimistic. Miami’s projected win total sits at 8.5, and some pundits are betting the under, arguing that without Ward’s magic, the Hurricanes will struggle to reach the same heights. Even Beck’s most staunch supporters acknowledge that, on paper, he’s a notch below the guy who rode out of town. “I think, Beck, I don’t like hate. I think Beck has gotten so much hate that sometimes I find myself defending him slightly, but if we’re comparing, like, him and Cam Ward, I mean, it’s not even close, right?” Brandon Walker said.The post Carson Beck Faces Ex-NFL QB’s Unthinkable Verdict That Crushes Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hopes appeared first on EssentiallySports.