Update on Carson Beck’s surgery recovery. And a key player returns for the Hurricanes
Carson Beck is already on the University of Miami campus and has gone through his first team meetings.
But when will the Hurricanes’ new quarterback, who transferred in from Georgia for his sixth and final season, actually be able to throw passes to his teammates? It’s too early to say.
Beck had surgery in late December to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow after sustaining an injury in the first half of the SEC Championship Game against Texas.
ESPN reported after Beck entered the transfer portal that he wouldn’t be able to begin throwing until March and would miss all of spring practice.
Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal, however, said on Monday there is no timetable just yet.
“There’s always hope,” Cristobal said. “You know, the sooner the better. I know we went through examinations yesterday and everything’s ahead of schedule. I’ll probably have more clarity in maybe a couple of weeks, so I’d hate to say this or that. I know that certainly for the summertime everything is scheduled to be full-throttle, full-go. But there is anticipation of maybe earlier. I just don’t have it yet.”
Regardless of when he begins throwing, Cristobal is just happy to have Beck on campus. He is now the heir apparent to Cam Ward, who like Beck transferred to Miami for his final season of college football with the hopes of improving his draft stock. Ward set UM single-season records for completions (305), passing yards (4,313), passing touchdowns (39) and completion percentage (67.2 percent).
As for what stands out to Cristobal about Beck, who went 24-3 as a starter for Georgia?
“He’s athletic, he’s smart, he’s got superior arm talent, he’s accurate, he can extend plays, he can also sit in the pocket, he runs well,” Cristobal said. “He’s a great human being and he’s demonstrated leadership qualities. He’s really hard on himself, he wants to be great and one of his best qualities is that he wanted to be at Miami.”
Mesidor returns for final season
The Hurricanes defense received a massive boost on Monday when defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor announced he would be returning to UM for his sixth and final season of eligibility.
Mesidor, who transferred to Miami from West Virginia ahead of the 2022 season, started all 13 games for the Hurricanes last season, bouncing between playing off the edge and as a defensive tackle. He recorded 32 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five-and-a-half sacks and six quarterback hurries.
Over three seasons at Miami, Mesidor has 75 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and four defended passes in 27 games. He missed the majority of the 2023 season with injuries to both of his feet.
“For us, the best part about Akheem Mesidor is Akheem is selfless,” Cristobal said. “Completely unselfish. And you recognized that last year. To help us win, it would benefit us for him to go inside and play. And he got some awesome reps. And you know what? He caught the attention of a lot of scouts. So for his future, it paints well because guys are willing to go in there and do that dirty work. It speaks volumes of your toughness, right? Your resiliency, your competitiveness and, and now, being able to keep him outside and let him do what he does. He’s a special person. He’s a special talent. He’s as explosive and as strong as you can have for an edge-setter. He’s got a ton of experience, so looking forward to him having just an absolute monster year.”
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