BATON ROUGE, La. — Quarterback Andrew Hatch is leaving LSU to return to Harvard.

Hatch decided the Ivy League is for him after all, and said Thursday he'll transfer back to Harvard, where he began his college career with the Crimson's junior varsity squad. He's hoping to be Harvard's quarterback for the Crimson's annual rivalry game with Yale.

Hatch transferred to LSU in 2007 and opened the 2008 season as the Tigers' starter, but injuries shortened his season and the odds of him ever regaining his starting job became slimmer with the emergence of freshman Jordan Jefferson, who started LSU's last two games.

"I have had an outstanding experience at LSU, and feel grateful to have been a part of such a proud tradition," Hatch said. "I appreciate the coaches, teammates, and other support staff I have had the good fortune to work with, and I wish them and the program continued success. I would also like to thank the fans for all the support, and I look forward to attending games in Tiger Stadium in the future."

Hatch, who grew up near Las Vegas, was recruited by LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton when Crowton was with Brigham Young. Hatch chose Harvard, but left school after his freshman year for a Mormon mission. He injured his knee playing soccer in Chile and returned home to recuperate. That's when Crowton, having since moved on to LSU, encouraged Hatch to come down to the bayou.

Hatch was the third-string quarterback for the Tigers' 2007 national championship team. After senior Matt Flynn turned pro and Ryan Perrilloux was dismissed before his junior season, Hatch won the starting job last August and began the year in a platoon system with redshirt freshman Jarrett Lee.

Hatch, an adept scrambler, was sidelined by a concussion against Auburn. He returned a couple weeks later, only to see his season end with what LSU officials described as a lower leg injury during a loss to Georgia on Oct. 25.

For the 2008 season, Hatch appeared in six games and was 26-of-47 passing for 286 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 129 yards and two scores.

"Don't underestimate what Andrew Hatch did for our football team in 2008," coach Les Miles said. "He filled a void for us at quarterback in 2008 and his play on the field allowed us to start the season off on a positive note."

LSU won its first four games, with Hatch playing in the first three, but wound up 8-5.

"Even though an injury kept him out of action for the last half of the season, he still played a tremendous role in the success of our team," Miles said. "Andrew has a bright future and we wish him continued success both on the field and in the classroom."