Former UW Quarterback Ethan Garbers Resurfaces at UCLA
Ethan Garbers has resurfaced back home in Southern California and announced he will transfer to UCLA — the second University of Washington quarterback to go this route in 19 months.
The 6-foot-3, 215-pound freshman from Newport Beach, California, a one-time 4-star recruit, struck around Seattle for just five-plus months and four games before deciding it wasn't for him.
Quarterback Colson Yankoff, another 4-star recruit, transferred from the UW to UCLA in May 2019. He sat out a season and the 6-3, 211-pounder from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, moved to receiver and special-teams player this past season..
Garbers was part of a four-player competition to determine the Husky starting quarterback with Dylan Morris, Kevin Thomson and Jacob Sirmon.
Morris, a redshirt freshman from Puyallup, Washington, started all four games in the pandemic-shortened season. Thomson, a grad transfer from Sacramento State, was knocked out of the running late by an injury and has left the program to pursue pro football interests. Sirmon, a sophomore from Bothell, Washington, received mop-up duty in one game and has transferred to Central Michigan.
Garbers' departure so soon was a big surprise to program followers.
This question that needs to be asked: Did he leave because 5-star Seattle-area quarterback recruit Sam Huard is coming and he didn't want to deal with it or did he simply not like the Huskies' often run-first offense?
Said to be highly competitive, it's not likely Garbers ran from the challenge. He comes from a quarterback family, with brother Chase set to start for a third consecutive year at California.
He seems to be happy to have returned home as much as anything.
"Being from SoCal and growing up here, it was really a no-brainer decision for me," he told 247Sports. "I like the direction the football program is going under Chip Kelly and I think they have a chance to be really successful so I'm excited to be part of it."
Garbers chose the Huskies over UCLA, Georgia and Utah, and now doubles back with his one-time backup school. He originally committed to former UW coach Chris Petersen, whose departure might have influenced his exit some.
He'll compete with returning starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who will be a senior, and backup Chase Griffin, who played a lot and will be a sophomore.
Garbers redshirted this season and, with NCAA allowances from the pandemic season, he should be able to play right away.
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