This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Utah backup quarterback Conner Manning announced on social media Sunday that his "time in SLC has come to an end," signaling an intent to transfer, though a source close to Manning said he had not yet settled on a destination.

The Lake Forest, Calif. native and fellow redshirt sophomore Brandon Cox, a close friend of his, had battled for position on the quarterback depth chart. Cox finished the season as the apparent No. 3 behind seniors Travis Wilson and Kendal Thompson. Manning, perhaps the group's purest passer but less the dual-threat quarterback that Utah now targets, then had to contemplate the arrival of junior college passer Troy Williams and freshman Tyler Huntley, as well as the possible return of freshman Chase Hansen to quarterback after switching to safety and sustaining a season-ending injury against Washington.

His lone appearance as a Ute came on a rainy afternoon against Arizona, when he completed 2-of-6 passes for 28 yards and one interception in Utah's lopsided loss.

But he was a decorated prep, trailing only former USC passer Matt Barkley in the Orange County record books for career passing yards (9,471), and a dedicated student, receiving his bachelor's degree in sociology after just two years of college. Co-offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick had long praised both Manning and Cox for their sporting attitude about the battle and their intelligence.

— Matthew Piper

mpiper@sltrib.com

Twitter: @matthew_piper