At 23, when most quarterbacks are still finding their way up in the NFL, fighting for more snaps, a former UCLA quarterback chose to come back home. The player, who was once Bruins’ first-ever Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week against Rutgers in 2024, decided he’d rather pursue a career helping others.

“CDM Football is proud to announce Ethan Garbers as our new Quarterbacks Coach for the 2026 season!” California’s Corona del Mar High School announced on social media earlier this week.

Once a student of the same school, Garbers’ recruitment will certainly bridge the gap between Corona del Mar Sea King recruits and the UCLA. His own career is also a testament to the same.

Garbers’ prep career ended with a 37-2 overall record. This also included a perfect 16–0 as a senior, where he led his school to the CIF Division 1-A state championship, finishing with a stellar 5,035 yards, 71 touchdowns, just six interceptions and a 70% completion rate. In fact, by the end of his high school career, Garbers recorded 9,462 passing yards and 128 touchdown passes.

As a four-star recruit in the Class of 2020 and a former Elite 11 quarterback, the young player was also ranked as the No. 4 pro-style quarterback nationwide by 247Sports, further cementing his legacy. Now that starting QB Brady Annett has graduated, the task of developing a new talent for CDM football falls completely on Ethan Garbers’ shoulders.

Initially redshirting at Washington under Jimmy Lake after seeing limited game action, Garber later moved to UCLA to play closer to home. During his time with the Bruins, the player started 18 games, passing for 4,462 yards and scored 34 touchdowns. Back in 2024, he even efficiently learned a complex pro-style offense under new OC Eric Bieniemy. However, his pro career hasn’t been as kind to him.

Garbers signed as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers but was later released before the 2025 season. The former UCLA QB then signed with the Madrid Bravos of the European League of Football. But after an inconsistent pro run, Garbers decided to move into coaching and developing the next generation of quarterbacks.

Now, Ethan Garbers is joining a team that went 9-2 in the 2025 season, averaging nearly 32 points per game, ranking No. 37 in the final California High School Football Massey Rankings. He already knows Corona del Mar’s system deeply. How much success he achieves as a coach after turning heads as a player is a tale waiting to be told.