High School

Former California High School and UCLA Football Star is Back as a Coach

Ethan Garbers is back at Corona Del Mar where he will begin his coaching career by working with the team's quarterbacks.

Conner Linsner

Former Corona Del Mary and UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers (4) has returned to his high school alma mater to coach the team's quarterbacks.
Former Corona Del Mary and UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers (4) has returned to his high school alma mater to coach the team's quarterbacks. / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Former UCLA quarterback and California native Ethan Garbers is making a career shift from playing to coaching. Garbers' high school alma mater, Corona Del Mar, announced Sunday afternoon that Garbers is back as the team's quarterbacks coach in 2026.

The former Bruin signal-caller went undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft and ended up signing a contract with the Carolina Panthers. He was eventually waived, and he signed with the Madrid Bravos of the European Football League in December.

Ethan Garbers Dominated During His High School Football Career

Garbers came out of Corona Del Mar as a four-star recruit in the Class of 2020. A former Elite 11 quarterback, he was ranked as the No. 4 pro-style QB in the country by 247Sports. His senior season was nothing short of spectacular, as he threw for an eye-popping 5,035 yards, completed nearly 70% of his passes, and added 71 touchdown tosses against just six interceptions. By the end of his high school career, Garbers had racked up 9,462 passing yards and 128 touchdown passes, cementing his status as one of the top high school signal-callers in the nation.

Garbers had a 37-2 overall career record at Corona Del Mar, including a perfect 16-0 senior season, during which Corona Del Mar won the CIF Division 1-A state title.

Ethan Garbers Also Had a Successful Run at the College Level

Garbers continued his success from high school when he entered the college ranks. He originally signed with the Washington Huskies, but transferred after his freshman season to Pasadena. In his four years as a Bruin, he appeared in 40 games and threw for 4,462 career yards, 31 touchdowns passes and 18 interceptions. On the ground, Garbers ran for 294 yards and three touchdowns as well.

In 2023, he helped lead Chip Kelly's UCLA team to an 8-5 season and a win in the LA Bowl versus Boise State. He won the LA Bowl MVP with 152 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Sea Kings Finish Strong, Garbers Faces Big Shoes to Fill

Corona Del Mar had another successful season in 2025. The Sea Kings went 9-2 and an impressive 4-1 in league play. They lost to Murrietta Valley in the playoffs, 35-14, to end a great season. Garbers will have his work cut out for him, as the Sea Kings lost quarterback Brady Annett, who threw for 2,532 yards and 35 passing touchdowns last fall.

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Conner Linsner
CONNER LINSNER

Conner has been covering high school football and basketball recruiting for over five years. In college, he started his own blog covering high school recruiting. Right now, Conner is the Site Expert at All for Tennessee, covering Tennessee Volunteers athletics. He has also been covering college and professional sports on various FanSided sites since 2020. After graduating from Wayne State University in 2024, he decided that his passion for collegiate and professional athletics had driven him to pursue a career in sports media. Conner has been to over half of the Major League Baseball stadiums with his father and plans to hit every single ballpark in the majors. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

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