Cal Football

Bears Get Commitment From 4 Star SoCal RB Victor Santino

Bears beat out Miami, Oregon, Utah, Washington, TCU and more for talented Bishop Montgomery running back
By Jim McGill
June 1, 2025
7.6k Views
19 Comments
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Photo by Instagram / Victor Santino

The Bears pulled in their second commitment from their first summer official visit weekend today with the commitment of 2026 Bishop Montgomery running back Victor Santino‍.

The 6-0/190 4 star Torrance RB is one of the top running backs on the west coast. As a junior, Santino ran for 1,028 yards on 102 carries and 10 TDs.

http://instagr.am/p/DKYWjF4vA5t

“I liked Cal fom the first time I came to a game there (Cal vs Miami),” Santino said. “Driving down sorority row and seeing the school spirit in full effect caught my attention, then to see the stadium packed and people from young to old with a lot of school spirit cheering was a good feeling and I definitely wanted to be a part of something like that. It felt like home. The scenery was different and it felt like I was around people that cared about me.

“The coaching staff was very welcoming and positive Coach Griffin is honest and understanding so that means a lot and Coach Harsin is a great guy and I like that he spoke to me in a cool, calm way. The whole coaching staff were fun to be around.

“I didn’t know that the campus was so open and big and had so many trees. I like that a lot. It’s a place I can see myself at for life after football.”

The newest Bear also had the chance to visit for Cal’s inspiring Big Game win over Stanford last November and came away impressed.

“It was a great experience I didn’t know that Berkeley was so different from Los Angeles .. to see the whole community behind the school and so pumped up for GameDay, then to see them fully engaged in the game and game time chants was really cool,” Santino said.

Santino holds offers from Miami, Oregon, Utah, Washington, TCU and more. He joins fellow OV commit Elisha Faamatuainu‍ (Rancho Murrieta OT) along with prior 2026 commits OL Artem Korchagin‍, 4 star edge Camron Brooks‍, high 3 star LBs Jaxon Pyatt‍ and Jonathan McKinley‍ (also visiting this weekend) and 3 star DBs Jayden Crowder‍ and Deon Jackson‍. 

Stay tuned for more on this weekend’s visits along with the identity of Cal’s third official visitor commitment coming soon.

19 Comments
Tags
2026 Cal football recruiting Camron Brooks Jayden Crowder Jaxon Pyatt Victor Santino Jonathan McKinley Deon Jackson Artem Korchagin Elisha Faamatuainu Football Football Recruiting
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Bears Get Commitment From 4 Star SoCal RB Victor Santino

4,984 Views | 19 Replies | Last: 5 hrs ago by bearsandgiants
calbear80
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7:19p, 6/1/25
Victor, glad to have you as a part of the Golden Bear family.

This is great news

Go Bears!
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MinotStateBeav
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8:00p, 6/1/25
He'll probably want to put on a bit of weight, but good signing.
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Iamhere2help
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8:06p, 6/1/25
"Go Bears For Now"
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Big C
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8:22p, 6/1/25

Great that you're choosing to come to Cal, Victor! GO BEARS!!!
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Eastern Oregon Bear
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In reply to Iamhere2help • 8:26p, 6/1/25
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
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Goobear
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10:01p, 6/1/25
Iamhere why is your response so full of anger? Eastern sure wasn't doing to that to you. Go Bears!
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Eastern Oregon Bear
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In reply to Iamhere2help • 10:52p, 6/1/25
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
Dude get a life. I'm going to do it everyday just to piss you off. It called free speech and is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL? And oh yeah

F..... Off

Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.

I use to say "Go Bears" Now i say "Go Bears For Now' just to be accurate.
Sheees
Ok, perhaps I could have worded my post better. I certainly wasn't trying to stop you from speaking up and what you said wasn't that in your face. I'm not unsympathetic to your frustration about the current state of college football. I don't like seeing our best players leave for more money elsewhere. I just thought there were better places to make your point than in the commitment thread for a player that won't be at Cal for another year from now and if he does leave for NIL it'll be no earlier than 2027. I'll enjoy whatever Victor does in his high school senior year and whatever he does at Cal and deal with my feelings then if he leaves. But you do you. It's not going to bother me much.

I'll drop this now before this thread goes off the rails. Feel free to have the last word.

Quote:
Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.
Have you been talking to my wife?


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blungld
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7:30p, 6/2/25
" Tattaglia's a pimp. He never could've out-fought Santino."
The Bear will not quilt, the Bear will not dye!
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upsetof86
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In reply to Eastern Oregon Bear • 8:59p, 6/3/25
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
Dude get a life. I'm going to do it everyday just to piss you off. It called free speech and is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL? And oh yeah

F..... Off

Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.

I use to say "Go Bears" Now i say "Go Bears For Now' just to be accurate.
Sheees
Ok, perhaps I could have worded my post better. I certainly wasn't trying to stop you from speaking up and what you said wasn't that in your face. I'm not unsympathetic to your frustration about the current state of college football. I don't like seeing our best players leave for more money elsewhere. I just thought there were better places to make your point than in the commitment thread for a player that won't be at Cal for another year from now and if he does leave for NIL it'll be no earlier than 2027. I'll enjoy whatever Victor does in his high school senior year and whatever he does at Cal and deal with my feelings then if he leaves. But you do you. It's not going to bother me much.

I'll drop this now before this thread goes off the rails. Feel free to have the last word.

Quote:
Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.
Have you been talking to my things.



It's all about the now. Rules are for breaking and hacking. If you're not reimagining things.
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upsetof86
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In reply to upsetof86 • 9:01p, 6/3/25
upsetof86 said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
Dude get a life. I'm going to do it everyday just to piss you off. It called free speech and is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL? And oh yeah

F..... Off

Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.

I use to say "Go Bears" Now i say "Go Bears For Now' just to be accurate.
Sheees
Ok, perhaps I could have worded my post better. I certainly wasn't trying to stop you from speaking up and what you said wasn't that in your face. I'm not unsympathetic to your frustration about the current state of college football. I don't like seeing our best players leave for more money elsewhere. I just thought there were better places to make your point than in the commitment thread for a player that won't be at Cal for another year from now and if he does leave for NIL it'll be no earlier than 2027. I'll enjoy whatever Victor does in his high school senior year and whatever he does at Cal and deal with my feelings then if he leaves. But you do you. It's not going to bother me much.

I'll drop this now before this thread goes off the rails. Feel free to have the last word.

Quote:
Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.
Have you been talking to my things.



It's all about the now. Rules are for breaking and hacking. If you're not reimagining things you're old news.
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Eastern Oregon Bear
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In reply to upsetof86 • 9:36p, 6/3/25
upsetof86 said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
Dude get a life. I'm going to do it everyday just to piss you off. It called free speech and is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL? And oh yeah

F..... Off

Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.

I use to say "Go Bears" Now i say "Go Bears For Now' just to be accurate.
Sheees
Ok, perhaps I could have worded my post better. I certainly wasn't trying to stop you from speaking up and what you said wasn't that in your face. I'm not unsympathetic to your frustration about the current state of college football. I don't like seeing our best players leave for more money elsewhere. I just thought there were better places to make your point than in the commitment thread for a player that won't be at Cal for another year from now and if he does leave for NIL it'll be no earlier than 2027. I'll enjoy whatever Victor does in his high school senior year and whatever he does at Cal and deal with my feelings then if he leaves. But you do you. It's not going to bother me much.

I'll drop this now before this thread goes off the rails. Feel free to have the last word.

Quote:
Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.
Have you been talking to my things.



It's all about the now. Rules are for breaking and hacking. If you're not reimagining things.
It's a good thing that I don't understand what you're getting at. Otherwise, I might object to you calling my wife a thing and to the suggestion that I reimagine her.

Ever feel like you've somehow been dropped into the middle of a Monty Python sketch?
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GivemTheAxe
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In reply to Eastern Oregon Bear • 6:37a, 6/4/25
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
upsetof86 said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"
I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!
Dude get a life. I'm going to do it everyday just to piss you off. It called free speech and is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL? And oh yeah

F..... Off

Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.

I use to say "Go Bears" Now i say "Go Bears For Now' just to be accurate.
Sheees
Ok, perhaps I could have worded my post better. I certainly wasn't trying to stop you from speaking up and what you said wasn't that in your face. I'm not unsympathetic to your frustration about the current state of college football. I don't like seeing our best players leave for more money elsewhere. I just thought there were better places to make your point than in the commitment thread for a player that won't be at Cal for another year from now and if he does leave for NIL it'll be no earlier than 2027. I'll enjoy whatever Victor does in his high school senior year and whatever he does at Cal and deal with my feelings then if he leaves. But you do you. It's not going to bother me much.

I'll drop this now before this thread goes off the rails. Feel free to have the last word.

Quote:
Or at least get laid so you can enjoy life like you use to before getting old and useless.
Have you been talking to my things.



It's all about the now. Rules are for breaking and hacking. If you're not reimagining things.
It's a good thing that I don't understand what you're getting at. Otherwise, I might object to you calling my wife a thing and to the suggestion that I reimagine her.

Ever feel like you've somehow been dropped into the middle of a Monty Python sketch?


Spam, Spam, Spam.
Or if you prefer: (Nudge) (nudge) (wink) (wink)
Or for the real Monty Python fans:
"I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK"
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GoBears89
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5:55p, 9/3/25
His senior season was just officially canceled. They played just one game against St Louis (Hawaii). Barring some CIF waiver, he cannot even transfer to another school to play. Feel so bad for the kid (and for the rest of the team).
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GoBears89
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5:56p, 9/3/25
Bishop Montgomery High School (Torrance, CA). Tons of controversy happening there.
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Eastern Oregon Bear
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In reply to GoBears89 • 6:13p, 9/3/25
GoBears89 said:
His senior season was just officially canceled. They played just one game against St Louis (Hawaii). Barring some CIF waiver, he cannot even transfer to another school to play. Feel so bad for the kid (and for the rest of the team).

I feel sad for the kids on that team that were innocent of violating the spirit of the school transfer rules. Also, for the ones that might not get scholarship offers because they have no game films to look at. However, on the bright side, their chances of injuries (and Santino's) are greatly reduced.
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Econ141
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In reply to Eastern Oregon Bear • 6:39p, 9/3/25
The Cal can't have nice things part of me is happy that this guy doesn't blow up and we get more big programs chasing him.
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Cal88
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7:35p, 9/3/25
Welcome to Cal, Victor!

Yes your first impressions of the Cal experience are spot on, it is a very special place and we're very glad you will be part of one of the world's greatest universities and a football program that is unquestionably on the rise!
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concordtom
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In reply to Eastern Oregon Bear • 7:50p, 9/3/25
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
Eastern Oregon Bear said:
Iamhere2help said:
"Go Bears For Now"

I've seen you post this exact same comment a few times now. There's always someone that wants to be the turd in the punchbowl. Can't you just enjoy a great recruiting victory?

That aside, welcome to Cal, Victor!

Dude ... (it) is a statement against the NIL era. and my way of saying comitments dont mean anything anymore. What i cant protest NIL?


Well, it seems that this is a fair point. It seems lots of people flip around nowadays as money offers end up changing (or so I'm assuming).

That said, this was one of the coolest acceptance speeches I can remember reading:


Quote:
"I liked Cal fom the first time I came to a game there (Cal vs Miami)," Santino said. "Driving down sorority row and seeing the school spirit in full effect caught my attention, then to see the stadium packed and people from young to old with a lot of school spirit cheering was a good feeling and I definitely wanted to be a part of something like that. It felt like home. The scenery was different and it felt like I was around people that cared about me.
"The coaching staff was very welcoming and positive Coach Griffin is honest and understanding so that means a lot and Coach Harsin is a great guy and I like that he spoke to me in a cool, calm way. The whole coaching staff were fun to be around.
"I didn't know that the campus was so open and big and had so many trees. I like that a lot. It's a place I can see myself at for life after football."


After reading that, I'm like YO - I DIG THIS KID!!!

If he's saying all that just to flip at the end, well, I'm a sucker.
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bearsandgiants
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7:51p, 9/3/25
Oregon has trees, too, but damn our campus is awesome.
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