Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Shane Buechele will transfer to Southern Methodist University.

He announced his decision on Thursday via Twitter:

Buechele entered the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 16 as he looked to explore his options as a graduate transfer. 

247Sports rated the 6'1", 210-pound quarterback as a 4-star recruit and the No. 3 dual-threat passer in the class of 2016 coming out of high school. In 2016, he became the first true freshman quarterback to start the season opener for the Longhorns since 1944.

Buechele started all 12 games as a freshman, leading Texas to a 5-7 record while completing 60.4 percent of his passes for 2,958 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2016. That performance earned him an honorable mention for the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

He would begin his sophomore campaign as the starter under center, but Buechele's shoulder and ankle injuries opened the door for freshman Sam Ehlinger to see playing time. Ultimately, Ehlinger grabbed hold of the starting job, pushing Buechele to the bench.

Buechele appeared in just two games last season, completing 30-of-44 pass attempts for 273 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

With Ehlinger entrenched as the No. 1 after leading the Longhorns to a 10-4 season in 2018 that featured an appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game as well as a victory over the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl, Buechele decided it was time for a change of scenery. The transfer should give him an opportunity to see the field and potentially turn into an NFL prospect.

The fact that Buechele appeared in just two games in 2018 makes him eligible for a redshirt season under the NCAA's new rules. That gives him two years of eligibility remaining.

As a graduate transfer, the junior will be eligible to play immediately.