Alex Hornibrook, Wisconsin’s starting quarterback each of the last three seasons, is on his way out of Madison.

Wednesday, Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported that Hornibrook has entered the NCAA transfer portal and will explore other opportunities for his final year of eligibility. Later, Wisconsin announced that Hornibrook departed from the program. He has been the Badgers’ starter for each of the last three seasons.

Hornibrook played in nine games for the Badgers last fall, battling a head injury that kept him sidelined through the final stretch of the regular season. He threw for 1,532 yards, 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2018.

Though Hornibrook split time with Bart Houston in his first season with the Badgers (2016), he’s essentially been the starter for Paul Chryst’s squad since arriving on campus. In three years, Hornibrook has thrown for 5,438 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Wisconsin is welcoming four-star quarterback Graham Mertz to the competition for the 2019 season, and he brings plenty of hype to Madison. He was expected to challenge Hornibrook and backup Jack Coan for immediate playing time this fall.

Coan stepped in during Hornibrook’s injury in 2018 and did a fairly good job. In five games, the backup threw for 515 yards and five touchdowns while completing passes at a 60.2 percent clip. He had three interceptions.

Mertz shined at the All-American Bowl in January. He was named the game’s Most Valuable Player after throwing for 188 yards and a record-setting five touchdown passes.

There was no indication of a potential landing spot for Hornibrook.