Ex-Husky QB Ethan Garbers Pressed Into UCLA Starting Role, Loses

The freshman had to replace an injured Dorian Thompson-Robinson at Utah.

While Washington was rescuing a last-minute victory at Stanford, ex-Husky quarterback Ethan Garbers turned up 760 miles away in Salt Lake City and was subjected to a tough college baptism as a starting quarterback.

Garbers didn't come away anywhere near as happy as his former teammates. 

Pressed into UCLA's No. 1 role because of an injury to senior Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound freshman from Newport Beach, California, dealt with a humbling 44-24 loss to the Utah Utes.

Garbers and his Bruins teammates trailed 28-10 by halftime. He threw an interception. For a final indignity, he got pulled down late in the game for a six-yard loss and a safety by Utes defensive tackle Hauati Putuau.  

The young quarterback had his moments, though, completing 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards and a pair of second-half touchdown passes, one to Michael Ezeike and the other to tight end Greg Dulcich.

The Bruins fan base no doubt was eager to see Garbers play as a starter, but voiced great disenchantment on social media with Chip Kelly's slumping program (5-4 overall, 3-3 in Pac-12). 

Jake Haener looks for a receiver against San Diego State.  :: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Elsewhere, former Husky quarterback Jake Haener got little more than a workout as his Fresno State Bulldogs knocked San Diego State from the unbeaten ranks with a 30-20 victory in San Diego.

Haener completed 25 of 42 passes for 306 yards and a score, but he did more handing off to teammate Jordan Mims, who rushed 29 times for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ex-UW receiver Ty Jones caught 3 passes for 33 yards for the Bulldogs (7-2). 

Husky outside linebacker Cooper McDonald's older brother, Caden, a senior inside linebacker, had a pair of tackles for the losing Aztecs (7-1).

In Provo, Utah, one-time Husky receiver Puka Nacua caught 8 passes for 107 yards and a score in BYU's 66-49 point-fest with Virginia. Nacua pulled in a 26-yard TD reception in the first quarter for the Cougars (7-2).

Former UW receiver Austin Osborne, now with Bowling Green, had to be more than a little amazed when he saw his coach Scott Loeffler get ejected during the Falcons' 56-44 win over the Buffalo Bulls on the road. Loeffler had to leave after drawing a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties on consecutive third-quarter drives. 

Osborne caught a pair of passes for 20 yards for Bowling Green (3-6).

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