Report: Kaveinga transferring to BYU

As we reported during the week of the Las Vegas Bowl, there were numerous sightings of USC linebacker Uona Kaveinga in Las Vegas. Kaveinga had once verbally committed to BYU before changing his mind and signing with the Trojans in 2008.
Cougar coach Bronco Mendenhall acknowledged the day before the bowl game that a player was considering a transfer to BYU, but did not name that player.
According to TotalBlueSports.com, Kaveinga received an official release from USC coach Pete Carroll on Dec. 17, then traveled to Las Vegas to be with the BYU team. The Web site reported that Kaveinga’s father, Lau, said Kaveinga will enroll at BYU on Jan. 4 and pay his own way until a scholarship becomes available in the fall.
“BYU didn’t know he was interested in them until after he was released,” Lau Kaveinga told TotalBlueSports.com. “He didn’t have a scholarship at this time. He just wanted to get out of USC. He just said he really wants to go to BYU. After he was released he called (defensive line coach) Steve Kaufusi and talked to him about wanting to come to BYU. Steve Kaufusi was excited and said they would be excited for him to come to BYU … I think one of the reasons why they wanted him to come down to Vegas was to see if he was really interested. They wanted to see if he was serious or really had the desire to come to BYU. So he went down there and had a good time with BYU’s head coach. He stayed with Coach Mendenhall the whole day. He was with him the whole day and we really appreciated it very much. It’s a blessing to us and our family.”
Kaveinga is a sophomore who will sit out the 2010 season due to NCAA transfer rules. He will have two years of eligibility remaining starting in 2011.