Madison - Although Zach Brown's impending departure from the Wisconsin football program likely clears up a logjam at tailback for the 2011 season, his decision remains surprising given his comments after the conclusion of spring practice.

UW coach Bret Bielema announced Tuesday that Brown, who redshirted last season after it became clear he would be the No. 4 tailback, has decided to leave the program and will look to transfer to another school.

Brown will be a fifth-year senior in the fall. If he graduates in August with a bachelor's degree in history, which he expects to do, Brown will be able to transfer to another Football Bowl Subdivision program and play immediately.

Nevertheless, Brown's decision comes less than a month after he talked about battling Montee Ball and James White for the starting job at UW next season.

"I want to be that guy," Brown said after the spring game April 23. "I still have expectations on starting. I want to be the man."

It seems that sometime after the spring game it became apparent to Brown he would not be the No. 1 back.

Ball, who rushed for 996 yards and a team-high 18 touchdowns last season, looked fabulous in the spring and likely will enter preseason camp No. 1 on the depth chart.

White rushed for a team-high 1,052 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns. He was the consensus Big Ten Conference freshman of the year and should be no worse than the No. 2 tailback.

The battle for No. 3 should be between redshirt freshman Jeff Lewis, from Brookfield Central High School, and freshman Melvin Gordon of Kenosha Bradford.

Brown's departure also would free up another scholarship. That could be given to a deserving walk-on.

However, it also is possible the scholarship could be set aside for a player not yet on the roster.

UW remains a viable option for former North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson. The three-year starter, a second baseman on the Colorado Rockies' Class A team in Asheville, N.C., was released from his football scholarship by the Wolfpack last month.

According to sources, he still hopes to play football in 2011 and is considering transferring to UW. Wilson, who will be a fifth-year senior, could play immediately because he has graduated.

Wilson reportedly received a $250,000 signing bonus from the Rockies after being selected in the fourth round of the draft last summer. Money shouldn't be an issue, but having a scholarship available certainly would not hurt UW's chances of adding Wilson.

UW coaches cannot comment on Wilson, who is considered an unsigned recruit.

"We would like to thank Zach for all his contributions over the last four years," Bielema said in a release. "He is a great person and player and has handled himself the right way throughout his four years at Wisconsin.

"We wish him the best of luck in his future."