Transfer Portal: Former Notre Dame OL Michael Carmody commits to UCLA
The most popular destination for ex-Notre Dame football players this offseason is Westwood, Calif. On Sunday, offensive lineman Michael Carmody became the fourth former member of the Fighting Irish to commit to UCLA.
Carmody follows wide receiver Rico Flores Jr., safety Ramon Henderson and defensive back KJ Wallace, who spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Georgia Tech, as former Irish to become Bruins. He announced his next stop on Instagram.
The rising graduate student from Mars (Penn.) Area entered the transfer portal Dec. 11 after four years at Notre Dame.
“To Notre Dame,” Carmody wrote in a social media announcement at the time. “The last four years of my life have been a blessing. Thank you to the coaches who gave me the opporuntity to become a Notre Dame football player and to my teammates for making ND such a special place. It has been an honor to battle with you guys.
“With that being said I have decided that it is time for me to find my next opportunity to continue my journey in this game that I love. I will be entering the transfer portal with multiple years of eligiblity. Love Thee.”
Carmody arrived at Notre Dame as a four-star recruit and the No. 17 offensive tackle in the class of 2020 according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He played in one game as a true freshman in 2020 before appearing in 10 as a sophomore in 2021. He had a chance to start twice that year, both starts coming at left tackle, before the Irish moved on and solidified then-freshman Joe Alt as the starter there. Alt kept his stranglehold on that position from then until he declared for the 2024 NFL Draft in December.
In fall camp this past August, Carmody went down with a hand injury. Even if he was healthy, he was unlikely to play a significant role. Alt and right tackle Blake Fisher, who also declared for the draft in December, locked down the starting OT positions.
Carmody would not have cracked the two-deep depth chart at either tackle spot out of fall camp. Sophomore Aamil Wagner was Fisher’s backup. Senior Tosh Baker backed up Alt. If the Irish ever needed to go to a fifth option at tackle, it would likely have been sophomore Ty Chan.
With Carmody’s commitment, the only Notre Dame transfer who has not yet found a new home is graduate safety Antonio Carter II.
