Rising senior Fabian Walker, who was set to enter spring practice as Florida State’s No. 2 quarterback, is transferring to Valdosta State University, where he will compete for a starting job this spring.

Walker, who backed up Chris Rix each of the past two seasons and started for the Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl following the 2002 season, completed 30 of 50 passes for 342 yards this past season.

Walker said last week that he would like to play one more spring at Florida State in a final attempt to win the Seminoles’ starting job. But he instead will transfer immediately in hopes of learning the Blazers' offense in spring drills.

Because Walker worked so hard to get into Florida State, after the NCAA originally blocked his entrance out of high school, the Americus, Ga., native said he always wanted to finish his career as a Seminole.

But with Rix solidly ahead of him on the depth chart and since he has only one more year of eligibility remaining, Walker said leaving was his best option.

“It’s was tough at first,” Walker told the Osceola. “But the more I think about the situation that I’ve been through, it becomes kind of easy.”

Because he already had used a redshirt year, Walker was forced to select a Division I-A or Division-II school. Valdosta State is not only a national power at the D-II level, but the school is close to Walker's hometown.