On Nov. 23, 2018, UCF QB McKenzie Milton suffered one of the most gruesome leg injuries in college football history against USF.

Two years later, Milton is still not back to 100%, though he’s getting better every day and has resumed practicing with the Knights.

However, on Thursday, he announced in an interview with ESPN that he was entering the NCAA transfer portal to try to find a new team for the 2021 season. Milton said he knows current UCF QB Dillon Gabriel is the future of the UCF program and he doesn’t want to cause any tension:

“I know my clock is ticking,” Milton said in an exclusive interview with ESPN. “I’ve only got one more year to play, and the momentum Dillon has, I wouldn’t want any controversy in the locker room. He’s earned the right to be the starter here at UCF. I see that, and I feel it’s best for both UCF and myself that I move on elsewhere. I’m trying to chase the dream of playing in the NFL, so I’ve got to give myself the best opportunity to do that.”

Milton said it is an emotional decision, but he’ll always have great memories of his time with the Knights:

“It is very emotional, but it’s one of those things where Dillon and I are on our own paths,” Milton said. “He’s on his at UCF and I just feel like mine is coming to an end, so I feel like the torch is passed. He’s going to continue to do great things. It’s a hard decision, but it also makes the most sense.

“There’s no bitter feelings toward UCF. I will always bleed black and gold. It’s the end of a chapter for me and my playing career here, and that’s probably the bittersweet part of it. We were able to accomplish a lot in my time here, and it’s been nothing but a blessing.”

Milton led the Knights to a perfect record, including a win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl, during the 2017 season, so he’ll be remembered in Orlando for a long time to come. As you can see below, UCF released a classy farewell video celebrating Milton:

Hopefully, Milton is fully healthy and gets to play for whichever school he chooses next.