UCLA coach Chip Kelly enters the week sorting out his starting quarterback situation again following the 27-10 loss to Arizona in Tucson on Saturday.
Redshirt junior Ethan Garbers and true freshman Dante Moore suffered injuries that kept the quarterbacks out for the final minutes of the game against the Wildcats.
“I don’t know anything,” Kelly told the media after the game. “They just told us they were unavailable and couldn’t go. I don’t know what the extent of it is.”
The media will have its first opportunity to view the status of each quarterback during Monday’s practice, after Kelly’s twice-weekly press conference with reporters.
Garbers made his third consecutive start and played through the early part of the fourth quarter when he was sacked for a 7-yard loss and was unable to put weight on his left foot coming off the field. He spent time in the medical tent and did not return.
He completed 13 of 21 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown before Moore came in for relief.
“We talked about a lot of things,” Kelly said following Garbers’ injury. “We knew what we had to do to get back in the game there a little bit, so went with Dante and then we had Collin (Schlee) available.”
Moore, the true freshman, came in for the following series but did not return after suffering a hit and returning to the locker room with 6:04 left in the game.
“Unfortunately, injuries are never a good thing for football or anything but especially for two dudes who’ve got to lead your offense,” running back Carson Steele said. “It’s really hard and it’s a blow for us. Hoping for recovery with whatever they had, hopefully, nothing too serious.”
Redshirt junior Collin Schlee also saw some time at quarterback throughout the game as a change-of-pace option. With Garbers and Moore unavailable for the remainder of the fourth quarter, Schlee was asked to finish out the game.
Schlee, who transferred from Kent State, has played in five games this season but hasn’t started a game for the Bruins. He had suffered an upper-body injury against Oregon State on Oct. 14 that prevented him from making the trip to Stanford. He would return for the home game against Colorado on Oct. 28.
Moore completed 4 of 7 passes for 14 yards. Schlee was 0 for 5 as a passer but managed to finish the game as the leading rusher with 46 yards on six carries.
If Moore and Garbers are unavailable for the Arizona State game, the Bruins will have to rely on redshirt freshman Justyn Martin and senior Chase Griffin as the primary backups behind Schlee.
UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu recorded 1.5 sacks on Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita.
Latu is now four sacks away from the goal of 15 he set for himself before the start of the season. He has 21.5 sacks as a Bruin and is currently eighth on UCLA’s career sacks list.
Former Bruins Anthony Barr (2010-13) and Jamir Miller (1991-93) are ahead of Latu with 23.5 sacks.
UCLA (6-3 overall, 3-3 Pac-12) has fallen out of the AP Top 25, following the loss to the Wildcats. The Bruins entered the game ranked No. 20.
The Bruins were also ranked at No. 19 in the College Football Playoff rankings. The next ranking is announced Tuesday evening.
Wide receiver Kyle Ford made the trip to Arizona but was an unexpected scratch for the game. His status remains unknown.
The veteran receiver had played in the first eight games this season. He has 13 catches for 152 yards this season.
It’s unclear what his status is moving forward but he did speak with the reporters on Oct. 31, which is usually an indication that someone is healthy and expected to play that week.
Starting safety Kamari Ramsey recorded a tackle during the first quarter on Saturday but would miss a majority of the game due to an undisclosed injury.
Will Nimmo Jr. saw significant time as Ramsey’s replacement.
