It didn't take quarterback Tom Savage long to decide about his future following Rutgers' hiring of new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti.

Savage, the one-time face of the program, and one of the most heralded recruits in the program's history, has announced he is transferring out of Rutgers, the school said in a release today.

Promising running back Casey Turner of Jacksonville, Fla., who did not play as a true freshman last year, announced his decision to transfer as well. He will transfer to Florida A&M.

Both players were given their conditional releases, meaning that Rutgers has set limitations on which or what type of schools to which they can transfer.

"My family and I sat down and we talked, and we decided what was best for my career, which was to get a fresh start elsewhere," Savage said today. "I thought I'd take a step back and really, honestly just get a fresh start.

"It was one of the toughest decisions I've had to make," he added. "Obviously, the relationship between me and (Rutgers coach Greg) Schiano is nothing but strong. I have always spoken to him like a father figure, and that was the toughest thing to deal with (regarding the transfer)."

"Tom has to do what he feels he needs to do," Schiano said when reached Saturday. "And Rutgers football has been doing and growing and will keep doing and growing. I'm disappointed that we couldn't make it work, that he couldn't stick around. But at the end of the day, everybody has to do what they think is best for themselves. After a lot of conversations, Tom feels he'd be better somewhere else."

Savage said he is hopeful to find another opportunity at a Football Bowl Subdivision program. Savage would not have to sit out a year if he transferred to a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) school, but said he was not considering FCS schools.

Schiano said Savage gave him no indication as to where he wanted to transfer.

Savage lost his starting job this season to true freshman Chas Dodd over the final eight games, partly due to injury but also because of his ineffectiveness. After four starts, the 6-5, 235-pounder from Springfield, Pa., was not rated among the nation's top 100 quarterbacks in passing efficiency. He was 43-of-83 for 521 yards with two touchdown passes and three interceptions in six games.

Savage suffered an injury to his right (throwing) hand in his fourth start, against Tulane, on Oct. 2. Savage returned from the injury and relieved Dodd in Rutgers' 41-21 loss to Pittsburgh on Oct. 23, but Dodd remained the starter for Rutgers' last eight games. Dodd completed 123 passes off 223 attempts for 1,637 yards and 11 touchdowns, with seven interceptions for the season.

"Being a competitor, you obviously want to play and stuff," Savage said of his decision to transfer. "That's really what kicked it off."

Savage passed for 2,211 yards and 14 TDs in his first season and he was considered a "franchise" quarterback when he committed to Rutgers. He stayed true to his commitment, professing his loyalty to the school and the program, and was a frequent visitor to spring practice before enrolling.

Savage's decision to transfer comes at a time when Rutgers is re-embracing a pro-style offense that Schiano has said would "fit very well" with the quarterback's skill set.

On Jan. 3, Rutgers brought in former Pittsburgh assistant Frank Cignetti Jr. to be the Scarlet Knights' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Cignetti's arrival signifies a return to the run-oriented pro-style approach that produced school-record offensive numbers for Rutgers from 2005-08.

The return of the pro-style offense also signaled a de-emphasis of the Wildcat formation that became of mainstay of the Rutgers offense last season. Cignetti has said the Wildcat would only be part of Rutgers' "supplemental offense" going forward.

Asked, in light of Savage's transfer, whether he felt he mishandled the quarterback situation, Schiano said, "I don't think so."

"That's something you'll have to ask him," Schiano said. "I felt throughout his time here we had very, very good communication. We would talk a lot, so I don't feel" it was mishandled.

Savage also supported his now former coach in his handling of the quarterbacks.

"Coach made the decision he felt was best for the team," Savage said. "You can never really disagree with that. Obviously, I got hurt, and the kid (Dodd) had a hot hand, so (Schiano) kept him in there. That's honestly the way coaching has to be, so I felt that's why I needed to get a fresh start. There's no blame, no nothing. I think coach did everything he could to handle it. I just had to make a move."

Savage said he'll continue to have strong feelings for Rutgers even as he dons a new uniform.

"I've always been into Rutgers — that's my pride and soul right there," he said. "I always put everything I had into Rutgers football. That's what makes this such a hard decision, because I really don't like the fact that I'm leaving that school. My teammates, the coaches — there's never been anything negative that had to with that school. We just felt football-wise, it'd be smart to get a fresh start."

Turner, a highly regarded 5-11, 190 pounder, never got the chance to play because of persistent groin problems. He rushed for 2,232 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior and was viewed as Rutgers' running back of the future.

By Tom Luicci and Brendan Prunty/The Star-Ledger