It’s been a journey for tight end Kevin Bauman at Notre Dame. He arrived back in 2020 in the same class as Michael Mayer.
Mayer is about to enter his third season in the NFL. Bauman is now in year six at Notre Dame with him and Jordan Botelho as the last remaining from that 2020 class.
After redshirting in his first year, there were a series of setbacks that stunted Bauman’s football career. A fractured fibula made him miss most of the 2021 season. He tore his ACL in the first month of the 2022 season. He put in the work to get back from that only to tear his ACL again in fall camp the next year.
Most people would have called it a day after all of that. Bauman wanted football to end on his terms and he was able to get healthy enough to play for the first time in a couple of years. Just being back on the field was a victory in itself and there was a chance that football could have been finished for Bauman after the 2024 season.
He made the difficult decision to come back for a sixth year because he feels that he still has more to offer.
“Honestly, I finished out that season not expecting to be here in the spring,” admitted Bauman. “You know, I didn’t know if that meant football was done for me or possible transfer or whatever, but when the opportunity came up to be back here, in talking with some coaches and stuff, I felt, I still feel and I do feel I have a lot left in the tank.
“You know, I missed out on a lot of time. And at the end of the day, if I still have it and I have the opportunity to do it, there’s no place I’d rather do it than Notre Dame. Yeah, I love this place to death. I’ve given everything I have to this place and just the opportunity to stay here for a sixth year was a blessing and here I am.”
Everything he’s experienced in the first five practices of spring has validated his choice.
“I think it was absolutely the right decision. I mean, I’m feeling great and like I said, I’ve still got a lot left,” Bauman declared. “The body feels pretty good. I feel like I’m playing some of the best football I’ve really played in my career here.
“And, again, I just have a sense of confidence to me where I’m out here giving it my all, this is getting everything I have and regardless of what that outcome is, I know I’ll be able to sleep well at night knowing I gave this my all at the best university in the world. That’s kind of my mindset, just keep working and get better and keep going.”
Part of the motivation for coming back was the opportunity to have a bigger role on the team this fall. Bauman played 71 snaps on offense and more on special teams last season, but could be in line for a lot more in 2025. Mitchell Evans is about to be selected in the NFL Draft and Cooper Flanagan tore his Achilles during the College Football Playoff. That left Eli Raridon as the projected starter and everything else open behind him on the depth chart.
Notre Dame always utilizes 12 and 13 personnel with multiple tight ends on the field. That means Bauman could end up playing more than he has at any time during his time at Notre Dame. He’s ready to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I’d say before I tore my ACL the first time,” Bauman said about it being the best he’s felt on the field for some time. “I feel even more confident than then, more physical than then, better in the route game than then. Weighing in a little bit lighter than then, even, so feeling a little better in and out of my breaks and stuff.
“During those years I had a lot of time to learn about the game and even though I couldn’t physically take reps, I’ve taken countless mental reps. Just seeing that come to fruition where I can put that into real work now is pretty awesome. It was a long road but I think the things that happened to me then have paid off and have turned into a good thing, which is pretty cool to see.”
Back in camp before the 2021 season, Bauman showed flashes of being yet another future NFL tight end for the Irish. There was a practice where he dominated during 11 on 11 and red zone one-on-ones to the point that the media members in attendance had to double check that it was him and not Mayer making play after play.
We don’t know if Bauman will ever get back to looking like that kind of option as a receiver. He’s just letting it loose and playing free knowing that he can be content with with leaving it all out on the field.
“I know I’m giving it my all and if God has a different plan for me then so be it,” Bauman stated. “So, I feel like the biggest thing I’ve reached is just a point of peace, where, hey, I’m going to give this my all; I know I can still do it. That’s not the question, but like I said, if God has a different plan for me, OK.
“It's kind of just getting into that headspace where, I’m not naïve, I’ve obviously been through some stuff and it could happen again, right? Just coming to that headspace of I’m good just giving this my all and taking it one day at a time from there.”
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