Former Notre Dame OL Rocco Spindler picks transfer portal destination
Rocco Spindler will continue his college football career 600 miles west of South Bend. The former Notre Dame football offensive lineman has committed to Nebraska.
The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Spindler entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on Jan. 23 and received interest from multiple Power Four schools. He chose the Cornhuskers after visiting Indiana and Pittsburgh and expressing interest in Michigan. Spindler has one more year of collegiate eligibility remaining.
According to the On3 Transfer Portal Industry Ranking, Spindler was the No. 33 overall player and No. 3 interior offensive lineman available for transfer. He started 23 games for the Fighting Irish over the last two seasons, including 13 during the 2024 campaign, all at right guard.
Spindler’s best work came on Notre Dame’s opening drive in the national championship game. He mauled Ohio State for 18 plays and 75 yards, leading to a touchdown run for senior quarterback Riley Leonard.
Spindlerwas the starter from the beginning of the year in 2023 before he got injured and missed the last three games of that season. In 2024, he lost his starting job to begin the year and did not start the first three games of the season. Billy Schrauth got hurt against Purdue in Week 3, though, and Spindler replaced him against Miami (Ohio) in Week 4.
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He started every game from that week through the rest of the season, even after Schrauth returned from his ankle injury. Notre Dame moved Schrauth to left guard and kept Spindler at right guard. Schrauth replaced sophomore Sam Pendleton in the starting lineup.
Spindler, Pendleton and Pat Coogan likely left Notre Dame for the same reason: The offensive line depth chart is incredibly crowded for the 2025 season. O-line coach Joe Rudolph has a lot to work with in finding his five best options to start in the season opener at Miami.
On the interior, Schrauth is returning. Season-long left tackle starter Anthonie Knapp, a rising sophomore, is a candidate to change his position to guard. The Irish also have redshirt sophomores Joe Otting and Chris Terek and redshirt freshmen Styles Prescod and Peter Jones in addition to redshirt junior center Ashton Craig.
Notre Dame is just as deep at offensive tackle with redshirt juniors Ty Chan and Aamil Wagner, redshirt sophomores Charles Jagusah and Sullivan Absher, redshirt freshman Guerby Lambert and true freshmen Will Black, Owen Strebig and Matty Augustine. Fellow true freshman Cameron Herron is expected to play center.
