HS FOOT: Suspended ex-Crespi standout Fauria to transfer from Notre Dame

Two days after news broke about former Crespi High of Encino standout tight end Joe Fauria being suspended for his upcoming sophomore season at University of Notre Dame, Fauria has been granted a requested release from the Fighting Irish with plans to transfer to another major-college football program.

"I just want everyone to know that I'm not transferring for football reasons. Notre Dame has always been good to me," Fauria said. "I was supposed to be the No. 2 tight end, which means I wasn't going to be the starter, but I was still going to play a lot."

Fauria, a 6-foot-7, 245-pounder who was among the nation's top recruits prior to last season, admitted he was being punished for a disciplinary infraction several months ago but did not elaborate.

"I don't want to go into great detail, but the truth was I was mistreated. The punishment did not fit the crime," Fauria said. "Anyone who knows me knows I'm a funloving guy. ... I'm going to miss my teammates and my friends. I worked hard and I battled (alongside) those guys."

As a freshman, Fauria played sparingly, appearing in three games without catching a pass.

In Notre Dame's annual spring scrimmage this past April, he caught two passes for 17 yards.

Fauria, who said he has a 3.0 grade-point average, is hoping to land at a Pacific-10 university, but nothing is certain.

"I don't know where I'm going to end up," he said.

One thing for sure is Fauria has strong bloodlines. His uncle, Christian, played 13 NFL seasons. Two other uncles, Lance and Quinn, played college football, and his mother, Julie, was a top women's basketball player at College of the Canyons.

At Crespi, Fauria caught 35 passes for 518 yards and five touchdowns and recorded five sacks as a senior. He was also standout in basketball, volleyball and track.

-- Gerry Gittelson