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Provo • Notre Dame backup safety Chris Badger, a former Timpview High star, is transferring to BYU and hopes to be able to play for the Cougars this season, his father confirmed Monday.
Normally, Badger would have to sit out this season due to NCAA rules regarding transfers. However, he will make an appeal to the NCAA to waive the rule because the transfer is due to personal reasons not related to football, Dr. Rod Badger said.
Chris Badger's mother is ill and not able to travel to Indiana to watch him play, according to the Chicago Tribune. She would be able to watch him play near the family home in Provo.
Badger was recruited to Notre Dame in 2010 by former coach Charlie Weis and played for the Irish during his first year in South Bend. After an LDS Church mission to Ecuador, Badger returned to Notre Dame in 2012 but redshirted last season as the Irish made it to the National Championship Game.
He will have three years to play three if the NCAA grants the waiver request.
Badger originally committed to Stanford during his senior year at Timpview, but "got Rudy fever" after a visit from Weis and a trip to South Bend, according to Dr. Badger, and eventually signed with Notre Dame.
"Notre Dame was good to him. He loved it there," Dr. Badger said.
The 5-foot-11, 197-pound Badger is buried on the depth chart at safety at Notre Dame, but that has nothing to do with his wishes to leave South Bend, his father said.
Twitter: @drewjay