SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — A highly rated defensive lineman from California who signed a letter of intent in February to play for Notre Dame has changed his mind and plans to enroll at UCLA.
There has been speculation for weeks that 6-foot-3, 285-pound Eddie Vanderdoes of Auburn, Calif., was reconsidering playing for Notre Dame. He issued a statement Tuesday to The Sacramento Bee saying he wanted to remain close to home “for very personal reasons.”
Coach Brian Kelly issued a statement confirming Vanderdoes will not play for Notre Dame, but said the school would not release him from his letter of intent. That means Vanderdoes cannot play for UCLA until 2014.
A call to Vanderdoes by The Associated Press rang unanswered Tuesday and he did not respond to a text message.
