Bo Bauer: 'I want this more than ever'
Bo Bauer’s time at Notre Dame didn’t end on a positive note as he tore multiple ligaments in his knee in October of 2022.
The Pennsylvania native didn’t let the injury stop him from working out at Notre Dame’s Pro Day in 2023, but he was far from 100 percent.
Bauer did put up 30 reps on bench press and did some long snapping, which got him an invite to a rookie camp last spring.
“I went to the Seattle camp and then worked all summer to try to get back,” Bauer stated. “It wasn’t quite in time for last year’s season, but around September and October, I was rolling.”
Fast forward a year and Bauer found himself back at Notre Dame for Pro Day last week. This time around, Bauer was healthy and back to the player who recorded 120 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions during his time in the blue and gold.
Bauer ran 4.75 in the 40, recorded a 34-inch vertical, and jumped 10 feet in the broad jump on Thursday, in addition to linebacker drills and long snapping.
“I slimmed down a little bit,” Bauer said of his last year. “I’m trying to be ready to be a core player in the NFL. Backup linebacker and find a way to be a long snapper for the team. I want to provide as much value as I can. I‘ve worked really hard for a year straight not knowing what’s coming in the future, so it was nice to have something to look forward to.”
Regardless of how his career unfolds moving forward, Bauer found the closure he was looking for following the way his Notre Dame career ended.
“I wanted to come back and stand on my own two feet and give it another go,” Bauer explained. “I wanted to live the rest of my life knowing I gave it my all and I didn’t roll over when the cards got tough.”
The last year has been tough as Bauer had Pro Day circled and now he’ll look to sell a team on what he can bring to their organization.
“I want this more than ever,” said Bauer. “I’ve had a whole year just working with little results up to this point. We always say standards over circumstances. I have a high standard and I hold on to that to this day. I’ll do whatever it takes to put my best foot forward.”
Looking to join a Fighting Irish community and get the latest scoop? Sign up for our newsletter and become an ISD Premium Subscriber: Sign Up for ISD
