NCAAF teams
Edward Aschoff, ESPN Staff Writer 5y

Washington's Haener opts to leave, not be No. 2

College Football, Washington Huskies

A day after former Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason was officially named Washington's starter, sophomore backup Jake Haener has decided to leave the program, the school announced.

Haener played in four games last year and completed nine passes for 107 yards with one touchdown and an interception as Jake Browning's backup.

Fresno State is a potential landing spot for Haener and likely where he'll end up, multiple sources tell ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. Bulldogs coach Jeff Tedford knows Haener from recruiting, and will need a new starting quarterback in 2020.

Although he lost the starting job to Eason, coach Chris Petersen said Friday that he planned to play Haener in the 13th-ranked Huskies' season opener against Eastern Washington on Aug. 31.

"It was awesome," Petersen said of the competition. "Jake Haener and Jacob Eason, obviously two really good quarterbacks. Tight competition, and you take it as long as you can and you've got to make a decision and roll with it. Jake Haener will play in that first game. He should, he deserves it and he will."

With Haener gone, redshirt freshman Jacob Sirmon and true freshman Dylan Morris now will compete for the backup spot behind Eason.

Redshirt freshman Colson Yankoff transferred to UCLA in June but is expected to sit out the 2019 season after Washington didn't support his waiver for immediate eligibility.

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