Wadsworth will defy Hawaii, transfer to play football at Y.

OREM — Although first-year Hawaii head football coach Norm Chow blocked a transfer of Warrior defensive back Mike Wadsworth, the former Henderson, Nev., football star will enroll at BYU this fall, according to family members.

Wadsworth is currently serving an LDS mission in Leeds, England, and returns home in June. He played one year at Hawaii after choosing the Warriors over Nevada. BYU did not offer Wadsworth, who grew up in Orem, a scholarship out of high school. His father, John Wadsworth, has worked on NCAA transfer papers for his son, but Hawaii denied an appeal by the Wadsworth family for the athlete to transfer to BYU and receive a football scholarship.

Mike Wadsworth has applied, been accepted and will attend BYU this fall, according to his father. His son will pay his own school expenses, due to the Hawaii denial.

Chow has never met Mike Wadsworth, who played for the previous Hawaii coaching staff. The block by Hawaii bans the Wadsworth family and Mike Wadsworth from talking to BYU, according to John Wadsworth, who said "I'm still trying to understand the NCAA rule. It's confusing to me."

John Wadsworth said his family initiated the transfer. "I wanted to do what's best for my son and have him closer to home," the player's father said.

John Wadsworth says his family has no hard feelings towards Hawaii or Chow over the issue, but they will do what they will do to facilitate the change in college for their son.

"Coach Chow told me BYU had an unfair advantage with LDS missionaries and he cited Riley Nelson, who transferred from Utah State to BYU," said John Wadsworth.

email: dharmon@desnews.com