Report: Recruit Eddie Vanderdoes transferred because of family health issues

UCLA football coach Jim Mora Jr. landed five-star defensive tackle recruit Eddie Vanderdoes from Notre Dame earlier this week after Vanderdoes decided he wanted to play closer to home. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Five-star recruit Eddie Vanderdoes, the defensive tackle who announced earlier this week that he was transferring to UCLA after committing to Notre Dame, will make the case that "extenuating family circumstances" led to his decision in order to re-gain eligibility, according to CBSSports.com's Bruce Feldman.

A close relative of Vanderdoes was diagnosed with a severe illness this past winter, spurring the Class of 2013's No. 1 defensive tackle to want to move closer to home, according to the report.

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From the report:

Vanderdoes is hoping these circumstances, along with the fact that he would be close to more family in the Los Angeles area, will greenlight his appeal. Notre Dame would not release him from his National Letter of Intent for what it deemed "integrity" purposes. Because the Fighting Irish have refused to release Vanderdoes, he would have to sit out the 2013 season and would lose a season of eligibility, meaning without winning an appeal, he would have only four seasons to play three years in college.

Vanderdoes, who is already enrolled at UCLA and considered a student there, is expected to arrive for classes later this month.