Backup quarterback Cody Thomas is leaving the Oklahoma football program this spring in order to concentrate on baseball full-time.

Thomas, a 6-foot-4, 211-pound junior, met with the OU coaching staff and informed them he will leave the OU football team immediately in order to focus on baseball.

A source close to Thomas indicated he was still unsure about whether he would resume his football future but Bob Stoops confirmed to SoonerScoop.com this evening that Thomas would be able to return to the program next fall if that was what the 'for-now' former quarterback wanted.

Thomas' departure will leave Stoops with just three scholarship quarterbacks this spring, but Kyler Murray, the Texas A&M transfer, won't be eligible next season due to NCAA transfer rules.

In fact, two of the three scholarship quarterbacks in spring camp have never have taken a snap in OU's offense.

Austin Kendall, a Rivals100, 4-star freshman, has enrolled early. The Rivals.com 4th rated pro-style quarterback will have to learn quickly under Lincoln Riley.

The Sooners become so young this spring because they also lost backup QB Trevor Knight, who transferred to Texas A&M following the completion of the 2015 season. Knight and Kevin Sumlin are hoping to bottle up some of Trevor's Sugar Bowl magic for one final year of eligibility.

The Sooners do have walk-on quarterbacks who can take throws off OU’s scholarship quarterbacks, and specifically Baker Mayfield, but it’s not likely Connor McGinnis or Reece Clark are capable of taking over for Mayfield should he be injured next season.

With Thomas' departure, the Sooners now have a Heisman Trophy candidate and virtually no experienced quarterbacks behind him.

Where experienced was concerned, Thomas would have been a nice middle relief man.

Thomas appeared in just 3 football games in 2015. He did manage to overtake Knight as the backup quarterback late in the season, but he finished the season completing just 1-of-3 passes for 1 yard.

Thomas had a bigger role for the OU football team as a redshirt freshman, starting the final three games of the 2014 season after Knight was injured against Baylor.

Thomas completed 30-of-66 passes for 342 yards with 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions that season, but now the book could be closing on his football career.

As a freshman during the 2013 baseball season, Thomas appeared in 14 games, serving mostly as a pinch runner.

Thomas hit just .083 (1-for-12) at the place that season.

He was a highly regarded baseball prospect coming out of high school, with some believing he could be a very high draft pick and might forego college football altogether.

Those closest to Thomas’ baseball career believed he would have improved his value to Major League general managers if he was willing to give up the bat and become a full-time pitcher.

Thomas wasn’t willing to do that and when he was drafted in the 30th round by the New York Yankees out of high school, he decided to take the Sooners up on their football offer.

Now he’ll put all his efforts into resuming that baseball career with the OU football program in the rearview mirror.

At least for this spring.

And with Bob Stoops' blessing.