Ethan Garbers announces UCLA as transfer destination

The transfer portal has seen its second Washington Huskies QB transfer way down south to the UCLA Bruins in as many years as Ethan Garbers has announced UCLA as his destination. Garbers joins Colson Yankoff as one-time Huskies who made the transfer to Westwood.

With the simple statement of ‘I’m home,’ Garbers is set to join the Bruins as a transfer after spending the 2020 season with Washington but not logging a single snap.

A Southern Californian, Garbers is in fact coming home after he played high school football at Corona Del Mar. From Newport Beach, Garbers was the nation’s fourth-ranked pro-style quarterback for the Class of 2020 and the 12th-ranked player in the state of California that circuit.

In his junior season at Corona Del Mar, he threw 55 passing touchdowns and over 4,000 yards with another six scores on the ground. He was invited to The Opening and the Elite 11 following that season and originally committed to then-Washington coach Chris Peterson. He led his high school team to a state championship and a 16-0 record with 5,035 yards and 71 touchdowns in his senior year as well, elevating his game even further.

Garbers told 247Sports he’s excited to be home.

“I’m very excited to be a Bruin,” Garbers said. “Being from SoCal (Southern California) and growing up here, it was really a no-brainer decision for me. 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 a part of it. From a playing standpoint, it’s a great fit for me. Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) likely has one more year left so I can come in and learn the system and then be ready to compete. I see a lot of opportunity and love the academic fit as well. “UCLA was a school I looked at hard before I committed to UW,” Garbers said. “They were right there along with Utah and Georgia so I have a great relationship with the coaching staff and a really good comfort level.

“I talked to both Ethan (Young) and coach Kelly and I like both guys a lot. The coaches at UCLA have always had a special place in my heart so I’m thrilled to be able to come back home and play there now.”

He transfers to UCLA after Dylan Morris had won the starting job at Washington and five-star QB Sam Huard entering the fold early this spring, it seemed that Garbers was the forgotten man in the backfield. The Huskies also lost Jacob Sirmon to the transfer portal as well.

With a redshirt earned this year, Garbers won the Huskies’ Bob Jarvis Offensive Scout Squad MVP.

Welcome home, welcome to Westwood, Ethan! We’re VERY EXCITED to have you.