Notre Dame Transfer Follows Familiar Path, Lands in the ACC

Former Notre Dame long snapper Rino Monteforte committed to the University of California on Tuesday.

Notre Dame junior long snapper Rino Monteforte works through a drill at football practice Wednesday, March 27, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. / MANDATORY CREDIT: Austin Hough / South Bend Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

Some players take their sweet old time when deciding on a school to transfer to after entering the portal, and some simply don't. Rino Monteforte chose the latter of the two. The former Notre Dame long snapper entered the transfer portal less than a week ago, and on Tuesday he already picked his new school.

His choice?

The University of California.

Blessed to announce my commitment to Cal Berkeley on Full Scholarship, Go Bears🐻🔵🌕 @CalFootball @michael_frisina @Coach_Sooto #CalGang #SWAMP pic.twitter.com/vLmmor1pL7

— Rino Monteforte (@RinoMonteforte1) April 22, 2025

Oh, how familiar this sounds to Notre Dame fans, alumni and players. Tobias Merriweather and Aidan Keanaaina left the Fighting Irish for the Golden Bears last year, and here comes Monteforte, who also joins former Notre Dame defensive lineman Tyson Ford on Cal's recruiting class roster. The former Notre Dame walk-on was a backup long snapper for two years before winning the starting job last year.

Monteforte has two years of eligibility remaining and is also now on scholarship.

Monteforte was not receiving as many first team reps as rising sophomore Joe Vinci this spring and decided to enter the portal just days after the Notre Dame Spring game. Hopefully we hear very little about Vinci in 2025 as that would mean he's doing his job as a long snapper.

All the best to Monteforte, who snapped the ball on Mitch Jeter's game-winning field goal in the Orange Bowl, as he heads to the west coast.

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