Ethan Garbers injury update: Pete Thamel reveals latest on UCLA QB ahead of game vs. Penn State

Ethan Garbers is going to be a game-time decision for UCLA against Penn State Saturday, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

“For UCLA in State College today, they are four touchdown underdogs, and they may be without quarterback Ethan Garbers,” Thamel said on College GameDay. “I’m told he’s a game time decision. He’s expected to warm up, but he’s been limited in practice this week. Justyn Martin, a sophomore who has five career passing attempts, has been taking the first team reps.”

In four games for UCLA, Garbers is 67-117 (57.3%) for 808 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions. In the 34-13 loss to Oregon this past weekend, he was 12-20 (60%) for 118 yards while throwing two of those picks and being sacked four times before leaving.

After coming in as the reserve in his last outing, Martin completed one of his four passes for seven yards.

Garbers wants to be back for their first road game in conference play at Beaver Stadium. Still, head coach DeShaun Foster and the team will be taking note of his availability over the next few days before heading out east.

“He’s in good spirits and, you know, I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do later on in the week,” Foster said.

Ethan Garbers a game-time decision vs. Penn State

Entrenched as the starting quarterback this season, as UCLA entered the Big Ten, Garbers had more on his plate. But ever the great teammate, he wanted to be there for his guys and finish his academics.

Garbers never second guessed his decision to stay in LA.

“You know, that game was just an interesting game,” Garbers said. “We were down a little bit, and I wasn’t going to sit there, even if I wasn’t (one) hundred percent. I wasn’t going to sit there and just let my guys down like that, you know? So I felt an obligation to kind of go on there and help the team in any way I can. 

“Because, I mean, at the end of the day, that’s my most important job. But yeah, I mean, there was no second guess or anything if I was coming back to UCLA. I wanted to graduate from here. Get the awesome degree that I got. And, yeah, pretty much that.”

Last season, Garbers was 98-of-146 passing (67.1%) for 1,136 yards, 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. It was the most meaningful game action of his three years on campus.