UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers drops back to pass during a win over Coastal Carolina in September. Will Garbers maintain his spot as UCLA’s top quarterback this spring? (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)
UCLA football under Chip Kelly felt like a boardroom meeting, full of analytics and stuffy presentations and half-baked justifications for inadequate results.
In the early going under DeShaun Foster, it feels like a family reunion. Everyone’s dropping by, catching up and enjoying themselves.
It’s fun again to be Bruin.
More somber times could await — have you seen next season’s schedule that includes road games against Louisiana State, Penn State and Washington? — but the feel-good vibes should extend at least through spring practice.
Foster has brought back a spring game at the Rose Bowl — clear your calendars for April 27 — while rekindling excitement in what it means to play for his alma mater. Here are five things to watch as the Bruins open spring practice Tuesday:
Is Ethan Garbers the guy?
UCLA quarterback Ethan Garbers signals a first down during a win over Colorado in October. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
Excitement turned into disappointment after the Bruins entered last season with what they believed were three strong candidates to start at quarterback.
They picked veteran Ethan Garbers, pivoted to true freshman Dante Moore after one game and then went back to Garbers once it was clear Moore was not ready for the job. By the time it was clear that Garbers gave them the best chance to win in the Pac-12, it was too late.
A year later, there should be no such uncertainty.
Barring injury or some other unforeseen development, Garbers will be UCLA’s starting quarterback in his final college season. His steady play, toughness and newfound running ability are just what the Bruins need to succeed in their…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/ucla-spring-practice-five-things-120024926.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-03-31 12:00:24
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