Chase Garbers Declares for the 2022 NFL Draft
Cal enters its first wide-open QB competition since 2017
Chase Garbers has been a mainstay of Cal football throughout the Wilcox era initially committing to the previous regime he remained as a leader of the first Wilcox era class. After redshirting in 2017, he split the starting job with current St. Lucie Mets (Mets A affiliate) player Brandon McIlwain and claimed the starting job in 2019 through 2021.
In his 35 starts as Cal’s QB he showcased skills needed in the modern game: a live arm that can deliver from different angles and on the move, as well athleticism needed to scramble for positive yards providing Cal with a credible rushing threat from the QB spot.
He accounted for 6,576 passing yards, 1,185 rushing yards, 50 TDs through the air, and 11 on the ground. With a total record as a starter of 20-15 he also ranks as follows in the Cal Record Books:
4th in Career Total Offense with 7,761 yards,
7th in Career Total Passing with 6,576 yards,
Tied-6th in Career Total Passing TDs with 50,
7th in Career Passing efficiency with 132.2,
1st in Career Rushing by a QB with 1,185 yards.
He was also crucial in breaking Cal’s 14-year losing streak to SC in 2018, and the 9-year losing streak to Stanfurd in 2019 reclaiming the Axe. He is the first QB to beat both teams since 2003’s Aaron Rodgers. He is the first quarterback since 1958 to beat USC and Stanford twice.
Going into the NFL Draft, Chase has a chance to increase the # of Cal QBs in the NFL to 4 with Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Jared Goff (Lions), and Davis Webb (Bills) still in the league.
Best of Luck in the NFL!
He beat Stanford, UCLA, and USC, and broke some ugly losing streaks to those odious teams in the process. For that alone, he'll be high on my list of favorite Cal QBs.
Best of luck in the NFL, Chase.
Personally, I think the transfer portal is going to be a boon for teams like Cal. Probably as much as the end of unlimited scholarships. Cal is never going to be a top recruiting destination out of high school. That said, we can be a recruiting destination in the transfer market, where the haves really don't have as much space as the sorta have nots. The haves like Bama et al. are trying to be three deep. Well, some of those three deep four star players are starters. We just need to find the right fits.