You have to believe he heard the noise about his future as the UCLA Bruins’ signal-caller being in jeopardy…and responded with a vengeance. Ethan Garbers made as emphatic, spectacular, and fiery a quarterback performance as UCLA has had in the past half-decade. In route to being BIG-10 Offensive Player of the Week, Garbers scintillated the stat sheet going 32/38 for 383 yards and four touchdowns, not including a spectacular 49-yard side-stepping touchdown run that left Bruin Nation with their jaws dropped – the only thing missing was a hurdle and an in-game autograph.
Yes, it was only one game. I agree, Rutgers was missing two of its best pass rushers. Sure, Scarlet Knights coach Greg Schiano gifted the Bruins with two extra possessions in the game by calling timeout with 55 seconds left in the first half, and UCLA was content with the score, while also inexplicably going for two unsuccessfully at the start of the third quarter. But for the Bruins, 1-5 at the time, to get off the mat in the manner they did traveling two time zones, was awfully impressive. Here are three characteristics UCLA demonstrated that should give fans, boosters, and alumni optimism for a sustainable second-half run this season.
Ethan Garbers Can Fuel UCLA Bruins Second Half Run
Offensive Strategy
Lost in Garbers’ magical moments was Eric Bieniemy’s revised offensive approach. Of the 383 passing yards against Rutgers, 281 were to running backs and receivers. Gone are the five and seven-step drops that have plagued this offensive given anemic line play. It was replaced by decisive wheel and seam routes to the likes of Keegan Jones and Maliki Matavao. The former had five receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown via a collection of outside-in and flat concepts to get favorable linebacker matchups, while the latter had six receptions for 104 yards doing damage in the middle of the field over the top of Rutgers’ linebackers.
When Garbers wasn’t peppering the ball to these two along with TJ Harden, Bryce Pierre, and Jalen Berger, he relied on his two primary slot receivers, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, and Logan Loya, on critical intermediate third down conversion. Those two combined for eight grabs, 81 yards, and another touchdown.
With Garbers’ ability to process information quickly, coupled with two-read pass options designed to get the ball out fast, the Bruins’ new offense has a revised explosiveness that matches up well with the rest of the schedule – one that doesn’t include a single ranked opponent.
Rising To the Occasion
There were a few critical moments in last Saturday’s contest that the Bruins of the first half of this season would have crumbled under. The first was 4th & 1 on their own 18-yard line midway through the second quarter and the game tied 7-7.
To that point, it seemed the Bruins yet again had success scripting their first 15 plays but would once again stall beyond that point, much like the Minnesota contest. Similar to the Golden Gophers tussle was also the controversial decision to punt on 4th & 1 deep in their own territory with three minutes left, allowing Minnesota to reclaim possession and orchestrate a game-winning drive.
There was no such flinching here as head coach DeShaun Foster demonstrated implicit faith in his offense as Garbers scrapped for the requisite yard on a quarterback sneak. That led to the Bruins’ second score and the floodgates opened.
Another was the Bruins losing momentum at the beginning of the second half as Rutgers scored on back-to-back possessions to cut UCLA’s lead from 11 to just 21-19. In games against LSU and Penn State, it was evident that the Bruins were unable to conjure up a second gear, but on 2nd down, Garbers found Jones for a dynamite 67-yard touchdown to stem the tide. Finally, Bryan Addison’s interception with 5:31 to play and UCLA clinging to a 10-point lead demonstrated a newfound resolve we have yet to see from this 2024 group, one that seems to be here to stay.
Team Chemistry
Beyond the X’s and the O’s, or the Jimmy’s and the Joe’s, it was the fives and the fours. The Bruin high-fives, hugs, enthusiasm, empowerment, and engagement for themselves and each other were remarkable to witness, and unrecognizable for your standard 1-5 team. Coaches have repeatedly said there’s no quit in this team and how much they genuinely embrace the day-to-day process. Sometimes that’s just “coach speak,” but it was clear up close and personal in New Jersey, how much walk there was behind that talk. These players haven’t led on-the-field adversities, off-the-field critics, or inner self-doubts infiltrating their preparation and professionalism. That more than anything is what’s so resiliently repeatable.
Foster talks about his three pillars of discipline, respect, and enthusiasm being the anchors of improvement, but with Garbers as the catalyst, it’s the three elements above of offensive strategy, meeting the moments, and cultivating team chemistry that give UCLA a punchers’ chance to finish the season 4-1. Off the mat and ready to fight, as only mighty, gutty Bruins do. Fours Up.