Sep 20, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) and his teammates walk toward the line of scrimmage against the Florida Gators during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Carson Beck Sends an Empowering Message To DJ Lagway

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI
By Justice Sandle | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 12:05 PM ET

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — If anyone knows what it is like to have the fans love and hate you, it is Carson Beck.

From being loved during the 2023 season to being hated by the Georgia Bulldogs fans in 2024, Beck knows what it can do to a quarterback's mental state.

Florida (1-3) QB DJ Lagway is dealing with the highs and lows of being the top guy at a program that was expected to compete this season. The Gator fan base is rabid to find a solution, even if that calls for head coach Billy Napier's job. It is a lot that one person has to deal with.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Beck worked with Lagway during the offseason while recovering from his UCL injury. He knows that he is a talented player and sent him a message after the game on how to keep his head up during these tough times.

“I know DJ (Lagway) personally, Beck said postgame. "This off-season, when I was recovering from my injury and whatnot, we were with the same PT people, so all of April and May, I saw him almost every single day.

"He's a great kid and very, very talented. And a lot of the time it's a tough road being a quarterback, especially for a big-name school. He's super talented. He's very gifted, and what he's able to do, and he's a great kid, and he works his butt off. So, you know, it's always hard, because I've been through it as well. You know, they love you, they hate you, and then they love you. You just can't define your self-worth off that.”

Beck himself did not have the best game, so this rings home for him as well. Beck was inaccurate and threw a costly turnover that could have turned the game in favor of the Gators. That love-hate relationship is something Beck has been able to thrive on as he looks forward to improving.

"You fight through it, you get through it, and again, things aren't always going to be easy," Beck said. "Things are going to be difficult and hard, but it's more about how you respond to adversity than, you know, what's happening to you. So, obviously, he's a good friend of mine. I wish him the best of luck in the future. And, uh, they have a really good team. They're going to turn it around as the season goes.

Heading into this bye week, the Canes will have plenty of time to prepare for the offensive juggernaut that is No. 7 Florida State. They will also prepare to get healthier as they expect a few more players to be back against the Seminoles.