The UCLA football team closed the first week of spring camp Saturday with its first practice in full pads.

The sound of pads crashing together was no more apparent than when linebacker Darius Muasau and receiver Kyle Ford drew oohs and aahs when they ran into one another and both remained on their feet and held their ground. There was no live tackling, but referees were present to create more of a simulated feel with penalties and flags thrown.

Also in attendance were 100 invited alums who watched the third practice of the spring from atop the Wasserman Football Center outdoor patio. Others on the field included former offensive linemen-turned-NFL draft hopefuls Atonio Mafi and Jon Gaines II, in addition to ex-star quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

The battle to see who will succeed the program’s all-time passing leader continued on, and during one portion Thompson-Robinson offered some advice to five-star freshman Dante Moore as the two were working on his footwork.

Moore said he values the relationship with Thompson-Robinson that started at the famed Elite 11 camp in the summer of 2022.

“I knew he was a great person to talk to, to pick his brain,” Moore said in his first session with the local media after practice. “Today at practice, as an example, I was talking to him about some footwork, about understanding everything like that.”

At 17 years old, Moore is on a roster with some others who are already in their early 20s. In his short time, he’s already noticed a difference in the speed of his teammates compared to his high school experience.

“Literally, I might be the youngest on the team,” Moore said. “I appreciate everyone on the team that’s accepting me and pushing me every day.

“I’ve only been here a couple months — my first spring ball ever. I’m still adjusting to the way the guys are moving on the football field. In high school, you had a couple guys that’s high 4.5, 4.6 (times in the 40). But out here, everyone is running 4.5, 4.4s. … Being out here with this team, speed is very, very different.”

Moore is part of a wide-open competition that includes last year’s backup Ethan Garbers, Kent State transfer Collin Schlee, redshirt freshman Justyn Martin and fifth-year senior Chase Griffin. All were made available to speak for the first time this spring.

The quarterbacks anticipate a healthy competition for the starting job throughout the spring, with each going into camp with the mindset as QB1.

Garbers, who has the combination of the most game experience in the system and knowledge of the playbook, said he’s taken on more of a leadership role.

“With Dorian being gone, there’s a gap that needs to be filled,” Garbers said. “I’ll try and do that and I know everyone else is trying to do that.”

Schlee and Garbers are the only Bruins quarterbacks with starting experience at the collegiate level.

Garbers saw action in six games as a reserve last season, including extensive time while throwing for 164 yards against Alabama State. He also had a 50-yard touchdown pass to Josiah Norwood against Bowling Green and led a go-ahead drive against Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl before the Bruins lost it on the defensive side in the closing seconds.

In 2021, Garbers made five appearances including his lone start at Utah. He completed 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in a 44-22 loss in place of an injured Thompson-Robinson.

After seeing minimal action as a redshirt sophomore, Schlee threw for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns with five interceptions while completing 59% of his passes in 2022.

While Kent State competes in the Mid-American Conference, Schlee did get experience starting against top-ranked Georgia, No. 7 Oklahoma and Washington in nonconference play.

Schlee said the transition to UCLA and a new system comes with “a learning curve.”

“It’s a little bit more in-depth offense,” Schlee said. “A little bit different plays, different styles, different lingo. … I’m prepared for it and I’m ready for it. This is what I wanted to do: come here and learn an NFL-style offense so I can improve my learning for the next level.”

While there have only been a handful of practices, the work started in the winter.

Receiver Titus Mokiao-Atimalala revealed Thursday that the quarterbacks and receivers got together every Wednesday and Saturday for offseason workouts to work on routes and develop chemistry.

Among those head coach Chip Kelly commended for strides made during the offseason was Martin, who was in Moore’s position this time last spring as an early enrollee going through his first camp.

One year later and after watching from the sidelines all of last season, Martin said he’s “progressing” after focusing on his body during the winter and is excited to be part of “the best quarterback room in the nation.”

“I definitely feel like my body’s changed a lot,” Martin said of his offseason work. “I feel bigger, faster, stronger than I ever have before.”

Griffin is the elder statesman of the group, joining the program in spring 2019. Griffin has seen minimal action in six games over four years, but he maintained that however the competition shakes out he “will stay ready” and continue to prepare like he has throughout his career.

“As a competitor, I don’t really look at the environment surrounding me to determine how I perform,” Griffin said.

Here are the full media sessions with each quarterback: