BYU football: Harvey Unga will not return to Cougars

PROVO — During BYU's spring practices, running back Harvey Unga exuded confidence and enthusiasm, saying he was looking forward to his senior campaign.

As it turns out, though, Unga won't be carrying the football for the Cougars this fall.

Unga, who is BYU's all-time leading rusher with 3,455 yards, cannot be readmitted to school until January 2011, at the earliest, BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said Wednesday.

As a result, Unga's Cougar football career is essentially over.

On April 16, Unga withdrew from BYU due to a violation of the honor code, along with Keilani Moeaki, who was a member of the women's basketball team and Unga's former fiancée. Like Unga, Moeaki would not be able to return to school until January 2011.

Now that Unga won't be part of the program this season, he is expected to try to catch on with a National Football League team. He could apply for the NFL supplemental draft this summer.

Attempts to contact Unga for comment on his plans were unsuccessful.

The supplemental draft allows an underclassman, who did not petition for early entry in the traditional April draft before the deadline but later becomes ineligible for the upcoming collegiate season, to be selected by an NFL team.

Unga could also sign with an NFL team as a free agent.

Last January, Unga considered forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL draft but opted to return to Provo, citing an opportunity to improve his draft stock and a chance to play one more season at BYU.

In each of the past three years, Unga rushed for more than 1,000 yards, and during his Cougar career, he scored 34 touchdowns.

"Harvey has been a great teammate and a valuable member of our program the past four seasons," coach Bronco Mendenhall said Wednesday in a statement. "I know returning to BYU to finish his degree is a high priority for him. We wish him the very best and offer our continued support."

The school made its decision regarding Unga's status at the end of the school year, in late April, Jenkins said.

BYU will have to move on without its top rusher of the past three seasons, as well as a leader on an offense that is breaking in a new quarterback and a new tight end.