Beau English has left the Air Force Academy after one year, the quarterback’s father confirmed to The Gazette.

Offensive lineman Olesegun “Victor” Olawutimi is also leaving the academy, with both transferring to Virginia.

“Yes, he is transferring to UVA,” Donald English said in a message to The Gazette. “It was a very tough and close decision.”

Beau English spent the spring competing with fellow freshman Donald Hammond III for the reserve quarterback spot behind senior-to-be Arion Worthman and rising junior Isaiah Sanders, with Hammond appearing to take a slight edge in the battle.

The departure continues a recent trend for the Falcons.

Two years ago Ryan Brand left after narrowly falling behind in spring to Worthman. Last year it was Miller Mosley leaving after Sanders emerged.

In all cases the departing quarterbacks would have entered the fall second to a fellow sophomore as well as upperclassmen on the depth chart. And in all cases it was a product of the prep school defeating a direct-enter freshman in that spring competition. Brand showed the potential of those transfers last year when he appeared as a sophomore in five games for Maryland, making one start. He had begun the season fifth on the Terrapins’ depth chart.

Mosley appeared in a handful of games last year for Wofford in the Football Championship Subdivision, and returns in 2018 with three years of eligibility remaining.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound English came to Air Force as part of a long family military line and as an accomplished quarterback at DeMatha, a strong program in Maryland. He left as DeMatha’s all-time passing leader with 4,558 yards, adding 45 passing touchdowns and 23 on the ground.

English and Olawutimi, 6-2, 278, will attend Virginia as walk-ons and will not be eligible during the 2018 season. Their decision to transfer was first reported by 24/7 Sports.

Air Force’s incoming freshman class reports Thursday for basic training. The football season opens Sept. 1 when Stony Brook visits Falcon Stadium.