UCLA Football: Chip Kelly Reveals How Ethan Garbers' Play Will Impact QB Search In Offseason

UCLA Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers showed just how valuable he was to the team in their LA Bowl win over Boise State this weekend. Once he entered the game, the offense seemed more in rhythm, and the Bruins were able to take control of the game.

Bruins head coach Chip Kelly broke down how Garbers' play this past season will impact the programs' search for a signal-caller this offseason.

“I think Ethan has won our team over a long time ago and he’s been our starting quarterback. The only issue we’ve had is Ethan’s got banged up. He knows he’s the starting quarterback here. I’ve got great faith in him. What we saw in him today is what we saw against Stanford. It’s what we saw against USC. Talking to him pregame, he didn’t feel like he was 100 percent and couldn’t go. That’s the type of player he is. He said, ‘I think you got to go with Collin [Schlee], but I’m ready to be a backup if we have to go.’ So Collin went down and I asked him are you ready to go and he said he was. He played fantastic.”

Per Chip Kelly via UCLA Communications

Garbers showed throughout the year that he was the best option at quarterback for the Bruins. He got hurt a few times during the year, but the offense seemed to flow more effectively when he was in.

Heading into next season, the Bruins should allow Garbers to be the starter. Giving him a full season to work with could do wonders for this team, and it would likely give the Bruins a good chance to compete.

In 11 games this season, Garbers threw for 1,136 yards with 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions. He took care of the ball, which is the most important factor for a quarterback. 

With the Big Ten coming up, having some continuity at the position makes sense for the Bruins. They know what Garbers can do and now can put him in the best possible place to find success next year.