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PROVO -- Sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps has decided to transfer from BYU, head coach Bronco Mendenhall announced Monday.
"Jake has decided to leave the program in pursuit of a fresh start for he and his young family," Mendenhall said. "Jake is a great young man with tremendous potential and someone I deeply care about. I am sorry to see him leave this wonderful institution yet anxious to follow his future development and success."
BYU granted Heaps his release, but Heaps has not announced where he intends transfer.
He will not participate in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl or bowl practices and will concentrate on finishing out his schoolwork in the fall semester. That means junior quarterback James Lark will assume Heaps' backup role effective immediately.
Cougar Tracks:
Snap Decision
Monday's news that BYU quarterback Jake Heaps will transfer brings to an end the brief Cougar career of a player Bronco Mendenhall just last fall called "the future of the program."BYU faces Tulsa on Dec. 30 in Dallas. A graduate of Skyline High School in Issaquah, Wash., Heaps started 16 games and played in 22 overall during his freshman and sophomore seasons at BYU the past two seasons. Heaps set BYU freshman passing records for yards, touchdowns and wins while starting the final 10 games as a true freshman in 2010. The highlight of his season came in the 2010 New Mexico Bowl where he passed for 264 yards and four touchdowns to earn offensive MVP honors in a 52-24 victory.
Heaps started the first five games in 2011 before junior Riley Nelson took over as the starting quarterback following the Utah State game. For his BYU career, Heaps completed 363 of 635 passes for 3,768 yards, 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
