UCLA Football: Deshaun Foster Predicts Ethan Garbers Will Have Award-Worthy Season

Valentina Martinez | Aug 24, 2024

Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers (4) reacts after defeating the Boise State Broncos in the Starco Brands LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers is poised to have a standout season in his first year as the uncontested starter for the Blue and Gold.

At least Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster certainly thinks so.

“If we keep him healthy,” Foster told Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times, “there may be some awards for him at the end of the season.”

The redshirt senior became the Bruins' starting signal-caller following the departure of Dante Moore and Collin Schlee. The two quarterbacks combined for seven starts last season.

Garbers spent his first two years at UCLA as a backup, but in 2024, the Bruins are relying on him to run the offense. His biggest challenge is staying healthy. It's a point of concern for UCLA since the program's success is directly correlated to Garbers' presence on the field.

Garbers has the task of leading a new offense under offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy's playbook seems unending and bring a pro-style scheme to the Big Ten conference.

In 2023, Garbers got the start against Stanford where he recorded 240 passing yards and two touchdowns. Not long after, Garbers emerged as a prolific passer for the Blue and Gold. He also had a season-high three scoring passes in a 38-20 victory over crosstown rivals, USC.

He finished last season with a 66.4 completion percentage and recorded 1,136 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions.

Garbers was recently named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list. The accolade is given annually to the best senior or upperclassmen quarterback in college football.

An official backup quarterback hasn't been announced. After Garbers, there are seven other quarterbacks that could potentially fill the No. 2 spot.

Most of the backup quarterbacks haven't taken any snaps in a college game. This is alarming for the Bruins since one of the signal-callers will have to step up if Garbers goes down at any point in the season.

Chase Griffin is the only quarterback with a collegiate passing attempt, but the senior is ranked in the back end of the depth chart.

One quarterback has gained a considerable lead in the ongoing competion. Redshirt sophomore Justyn Martin has taken most of the second-team reps, but the No.2 quarterback remains undecided.

The biggest concern for UCLA is whether Garbers can stay healthy. If Garbers isn't on the field for the Blue and Gold, the new era of UCLA football may be labeled as a flop.