LOS ANGELES — Ethan Garbers has staked his claim on the position of starting quarterback by improving the mental aspect of his game and becoming a more vocal leader. He even cracks the occasional joke.
“He might not seem it on the football field because he’s so locked into what we’re trying to get accomplished on every single play, but yet he’s very funny,” Bruins quarterbacks coach Ted White told reporters Tuesday. “He can say a couple of jokes that make the quarterback room laugh.”
Garbers has a dry sense of humor that comes to life in the early morning, but that’s not the only characteristic that’s set him apart from the other quarterbacks.
He has followed White’s suggestion to make his voice heard and has garnered respect from his teammates. The senior signal-caller believes he’s also earned his place through observable determination.
“They’ve seen me play on the field,” Garbers said. “They’ve been with me at practice. They see how hard I’ve been working and how much this really means to me. This is my last year and a lot of those guys, it’s their last year too.
“I’m not going to go in there and just let those guys give half effort or anything like that. It means too much to me for that to happen.”
Garbers also wants to play a complete season this year. He missed one game due to injury and did not see game action in two other games due to non-injury-related reasons.
He played in 11 games last season and completed 155 of 234 passes for 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns. He came off the bench in the LA Bowl to help UCLA beat Boise State and earn himself Offensive MVP honors.
“My number one goal is to play in all 12 games and more, if we get to that,” Garbers said. “I just want to be healthy for every game and I want to go out there and play football, give my all and see where it takes me.”
He said he’s studied plays more closely in order to reach that goal, paying attention to where his starting point is and what the protections are.
There are eight quarterbacks, including Garbers, that have been practicing at fall camp. Justyn Martin took the majority of second-team repetitions during Saturday’s open practice, but White said the backup quarterback has not been decided.
Chase Griffin, last season’s scout team quarterback, is also in the running for the backup spot. White mentioned BYU transfer Nick Billoups, true freshman Henry Hasselbeck, true freshman Karson Gordon and redshirt freshman Luke Duncan as possible candidates as well.
Griffin and Duncan are the only two out of the group on campus for UCLA’s spring camp. Dermaricus Davis is a true freshman out of Etiwanda High but went through spring training camp with Washington, joining Garbers and Colson Yankoff as Husky quarterbacks to leave for UCLA in the past five years.
“That’s still an open competition,” White said. “We have a lot of good, young guys that are doing a great job. Justyn is the one who’s been here the longest. You got the remainder of guys who are doing a really good in competing for that backup job, so that job is still open and we’re still evaluating the quarterback position in that situation.”
The Bruins have 10 fall practices remaining until their first game at Hawaii on Aug. 31.
Nick Pasquale scholarship change
UCLA safety Joshua Swift was awarded jersey No. 36 on Aug. 1 – a tradition that recognizes an all-around exemplary walk-on in honor of late player Nick Pasquale. It’s traditionally been followed by an athletic scholarship from UCLA football, but that might not be the case this season.
Swift will be awarded $10,000 directly from the Nick Pasquale Foundation this season due to a change in NCAA regulation regarding players receiving money. He is still eligible to receive an athletic scholarship through UCLA but has not secured one yet.
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Offensive linemen healthy
Offensive linemen Josh Carlin and Garrett DiGiorgio appeared to be healthy and fully participating in practice Tuesday morning.
DiGiorgio, who has been getting repetitions at right guard, appeared to suffer a left ankle injury during Saturday’s open practice but returned with a heavily taped ankle. Carlin, who will be at center this season, did not participate in 11-on-11 drills Saturday but did not appear to have a visible injury.
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