This post was updated Aug. 18 at 10:39 p.m.

Ethan Garbers has the Bruins’ keys – but the race for shotgun is still burning rubber.

Though the redshirt senior quarterback will indisputably take the first snap of the season come Aug. 31, a subplot lingers around UCLA football’s backup signal-caller.

And amid a season clouded by upheaval – both in the coaching ranks and conference realignment – newly minted coach DeShaun Foster can rest assured knowing his field general is solidified.

“Ethan’s the one,” Foster said. “He’s the best QB. You guys are watching him, he’s spinning it pretty well right now. His leadership has really grown, and he’s just taking on the role of being QB1.”

Even before Foster’s confirmation, Garbers’ security in the post was apparent during UCLA’s open practice Aug. 10.

The reigning LA Bowl Offensive MVP delivered more pinpoint passes than the rest of the quarterback room, connecting with four receivers for highlight-reel touchdowns.

“Ethan makes sure that we know we always got to ‘do more’ – meet up in the meeting rooms and all that,” said senior tight end Moliki Matavao. “That’s kind of a testament to who we are as an offense right now.”

Stability in UCLA’s primary man under center contrasts starkly with last year’s volatility, as former coach Chip Kelly reeled in the loss of five-year Bruin Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Thompson-Robinson’s departure left UCLA a veritable cauldron of talent, with Garbers, former five-star recruit and since-departed Dante Moore and Collin Schlee, who transferred to Virginia Tech after last season, grappling for starting duties.

Through the year, Garbers outgunned his quarterback counterparts, boasting a team-high 67.1% completion rate and a 153.2 passer rating alongside 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

So approaching a landmark season for the Bruins, Garbers is the man out front.

“Last year, we didn’t have a solidified leader on offense,” Garbers said. “I came into this year and that was my goal – to get everyone united and on the same page.”

But the audition for his understudy remains a dead heat.

Among the eight-person room, seven are jockeying for their shot. Between seasoned veterans and star-studded newcomers, Foster and quarterbacks coach Ted White’s options run the gamut.

Redshirt sophomore quarterback Justyn Martin, who has appeared in just two games as a Bruin, continues to log the majority of UCLA’s No. 2 reps in the fall. He’s got a cannon arm and dynamic mobility but is yet to edge out the newcomers.

“That’s still an open competition,” White said. “We have a lot of good, young guys that are doing a great job. Justyn is the one who’s been here the longest. … You got the remainder of guys who are doing a really good job in competing for that backup job.”

Freshmen Dermaricus Davis, Karson Gordon and Henry Hasselbeck comprise UCLA’s three incoming quarterbacks – all of whom brim with potential as they vie for second-string duties.

But redshirt senior quarterback Nick Billoups – who has yet to play a collegiate game – and four-star recruit Luke Duncan swiftly inserted themselves into conversations of the Bruins’ heir apparent.

“Henry, Mar-Mar (Davis), Karson and Nick, they’ve done a great job,” Garbers said. “It’s not easy coming in and trying to learn this offense. … So a lot of credit to them. They’re all working really hard, studying a lot.”

UCLA’s quarterback unit is deeper than just one name, and a team’s second-in-command is a vital insurance policy in the world of collegiate football.

The keys remain with Garbers, but there’s no shortage of hands calling for shotgun.