UCLA Football: Will Bruins Really Let A True Freshman Start At Quarterback In 2024?

Hashing out the current state of UCLA's QB room with two new additions set to arrive this summer.

Out of the 10 signed high school prospects in UCLA's 2024 recruiting class, I wrote that Tustin (Tustin, CA) cornerback Kristian Dunbar-Hawkins has the best chance at playing in their true freshman season. Two of the 10 2024 commits are quarterbacks, and both have their own distinct styles of play. But do either have a chance at starting in their first year of college football? 

Let's set the scene. At the start of last season, Chip Kelly announced that Ethan Garbers would be the team's QB1 in week one due to his experience in the offense. Kelly was also adamant that he wanted to play three quarterbacks, but he ended up only playing true freshman Dante Moore and Garbers in the first game of the season. While Moore didn't start the first game of the season, he ended up being the named the starter for a decent chunk of UCLA's 2023 season. 

Assuming neither transfer, the Bruins will have two QB's on their 2024 roster who played last season. Junior Ethan Garbers has the inside track at QB1 but redshirt junior Collin Schlee showed flashes of brilliance in UCLA's last game of the season against Boise State in the L.A. Bowl. 

All that being said, where does that leave the two incoming freshman quarterbacks Henry Hasselbeck and Karson Gordon? While neither are in the same league as Dante Moore as far as 'stars' (both Hasselbeck and Gordon are three-stars while Moore was a consensus five-star), but both are highly regarded by the Bruin staff who recruited them. 

My money is on Garbers to be the week one starter, but I wouldn't be surprised if Kelly (like last year) went with a two-pronged approach at QB in an attempt to create a more dynamic offense courtesy of Collin Schlee's mobility. While there are other quarterbacks in the pecking order between Schlee/Garbers and the soon-to-be true freshman Hasselbeck and Gordon, neither Justyn Martin and Luke Duncan have been relevant for the Bruins thus far.

Duncan was a 2023 recruit, the same class as Dante Moore, and Martin was in the class of 2022. Martin was a four-star prospect, but according to Greg Biggens of 247 Sports, he might be having trouble with mental aspect of the QB position. Biggens wrote this on Martin when scouting him out of high school:

"He needs to continue to improve in how he quickly he processes the game and in his decision making but that should come with more game reps."

While there is a precedent for UCLA playing a true freshman in the Kelly era, it seems unlikely at this point in time that either Henry Hasselbeck or Karson Gordon will start for the Bruins at any point in 2024. By my judgment, Hasselbeck might be the more college-ready prospect at this point in time due to his size and overall athleticism (also a lacrosse and hockey player in high school). So, if a true freshman were to start in 2024 for the Bruins, my money is on Hasselbeck. Check out his senior season highlights below.