Patrick Towles announces he'll transfer from UK football program

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- University of Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles, who started all but one game for the Wildcats this season, has announced he will transfer.

In an Instagram post Sunday, the junior Ft. Thomas, Ky., native thanked fans and coaches for giving him the opportunity to "achieve his childhood dream."

Towles was replaced late in the season by another Kentucky native, redshirt freshman Drew Barker, who started Saturday's loss to Louisville at Commonwealth Stadium.

Here's Towles' full Instagram post:

I would like to thank the University of Kentucky for giving me the opportunity to achieve my childhood dream of playing quarterback for the WildCats. The last four years have been ones that I will truly cherish for the rest of my life. Although I wish my time here in Lexington could have ended another way, I'm eternally grateful. I've decided to transfer to play my fifth year at another university. Thank you to Coach Stoops, Coach Dawson, Mitch Barnhart, my teammates, the Big Blue Nation and the entire Kentucky Athletics Department for allowing me to achieve my lifelong dream. I will truly bleed blue til the day I die.

“I thank Patrick for everything he’s done for our team,” UK head coach Mark Stoops said in a release. “I understand his decision and support him. He truly gave everything he had and I wish him nothing but the best.”

Towles has one year of eligibility remaining.