CHAPEL HILL, N.C. --- Quarterback Nathan Elliott has decided to leave the North Carolina football program and will join Arkansas State as a graduate assistant, Mack Brown told the media on Friday.

Elliott would have been a fifth-year senior for UNC in 2019.

"(He told me) that he either wants to coach here or he wants to coach at Arkansas State," Brown said on Friday inside Kenan Stadium. "Coach (Keith) Heckendorf is at Arkansas State. Coach (Blake) Anderson recruited him here when he was here before with Coach (Larry) Fedora. So he has decided that he wants to go immediately to Arkansas State, withdraw from graduate school. He already has his degree from the University of North Carolina. He does a tremendous job here, he has done everything right. We were all on board because we want him to do what's best for him. He has earned that right."

Elliott worked with Heckendorf for four seasons at UNC.

"Nathan has done everything right in this program," Brown added. "He's been a captain. He's been a leader. He's really fought his guts out on the field. I really like him."

Brown said that he talked to Elliott a couple of times this week as the former UNC quarterback arrived at his decision to leave Chapel Hill for Jonesboro, Ark.

Former UNC quarterback Nathan Elliott.

Elliott released a statement that coincided with Brown's announcement in his press conference.

“After a lot of thought and prayer, I have decided to pursue a graduate assistant position at Arkansas State University," Elliott wrote. "It was not an easy decision to make, but in my heart, I feel that it is the right one. I am forever grateful for the memories I have made at The University of North Carolina. I cannot thank Coach Fedora and his staff enough for giving this kid from a small Texas town a shot to live out his dream. I also want to thank Coach Brown and his staff for helping me along in the next chapter of my life. Leaving my teammates is the hardest part of this decision and I will always love every one of them. The bond we have built will never be broken. Thank you Tar Heel nation for supporting this team through some very adverse times. Everything is going to pay off in 2019. I will be a Tar Heel forever.”

Brown said that Elliott was a leader in the 2019 offseason conditioning program under the new UNC coaching staff as recently as Friday morning and announced to the team that he is heading for Arkansas State after Friday's morning workout.

Elliott arrived at North Carolina in 2015 as a 247Sports Composite three-star prospect out of Celina (Texas) High, ranked the No. 28 dual-threat quarterback in the country. At North Carolina, Elliott started parts of two seasons (2017 and 2018). He finished his UNC career completing 284-of-480 passes (59.2 percent) for 3,150 yards and 21 touchdowns (14 interceptions). Elliott took over as the starter near the end of the 2017 season and began the 2018 season as UNC's starter.