Chris Badger is no longer part of the Notre Dame football program.

Instead the second year safety from Provo, Utah, will return home and enroll at BYU, a source told Irish Illustrated on Tuesday afternoon.

Badger will have to sit out this season before joining the BYU football program in 2014.

Badger was originally recruited by former Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis then remained part of that class after Weis was dismissed and Brian Kelly hired. He enrolled early and participated in 2010 spring practices before embarking on a two-year Mormon mission.

After serving in Ecuador, Badger returned to Notre Dame in June 2012. He did not see any game action last season and remained down the depth chart throughout this fall camp.

Badger chose Notre Dame over scholarship offers from BYU, Cal, Florida State, Missouri, Northwestern, Oregon, Stanford and Utah out of Timpview High School in Provo. He made 77 tackles and had three interceptions as a senior, earning first team all-state accolades.

Timpview won four straight state championships during Badger's high school career.

Notre Dame remains stocked with safeties. Matthias Farley and Austin Collinsworth are listed as starters heading into the season opener this weekend. Nicky Baratti will miss the year with a shoulder injury. Elijah Shumate, Eilar Hardy, Max Redfield and John Turner round out the position.

 

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