This Guy Plays Notre Dame Football: #52 Bo Bauer, Linebacker

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a roster full of players, and we want to talk about them all. One Foot Down’s player profile series will, once again, take a look at every single one of them, and hopefully we all learn a little bit more about these guys, and Notre Dame’s chances for the upcoming 2021 season.

#52 Bo Bauer, LB

Bo Bauer committed to the Irish on August 3^rd, 2016 as a member of the 2018 recruiting class. He selected Notre Dame over offers from Akron, Iowa State, Maryland, and Michigan State. Per 247Sports Composite Rankings, Bauer held a 4-star ranking. He was rated as the 11^th best player in the state of Pennsylvania, the 16^th best inside linebacker, and the 293^rd overall best player in the class of 2018. His hometown is Erie, Pennsylvania, and he attended Cathedral Prep. Bauer currently stands 6’ 2’’ and weighs 230 pounds.

As a freshman, Bauer played in all 13 games during a run to the College Football Playoff and finished with a modest 10 tackles. During his sophomore campaign, Bauer became a crucial member of the special teams’ units and continued to see the field as a reserve linebacker. He again played in all 13 games during the 2019 season and finished with 28 total tackles. Last season, the junior saw his defensive responsibilities increase, while still maintaining a major role on special teams. Bauer saw the majority of his action on defense in Notre Dame’s 3^rd down packages, replacing Drew White at the middle linebacker position. He finished the year with 26 total tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception.

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The Restaurant That Fits

Buffalo Wild Wings

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Bauer plays with his hair on fire every time he is on the field. While he has worked to keep his emotions in check, he still plays with an incredible amount of passion that fires up his team and the fan base. Similarly, Buffalo Wild Wings markets itself as a place where passionate sports fans go to watch their team play. On top of that, the Blazin’ Challenge will cause almost anyone to feel like their entire body has been set on fire.

2021 Outlook

There are many different combinations of linebackers that defensive coordinator, Marcus Freeman, could employ during the 2021 season. With that in mind, my guess is that Bo Bauer claims one of the starting positions inside alongside Drew White. White missed much of spring practice, allowing Bauer the opportunity to practice at the Mike linebacker for much of spring. Although White may reclaim the starting Mike position, the cross-training will prove beneficial for Bauer in the event of an injury to White. In addition to a starting linebacker position, expect to see Bauer continue to be an integral part of Brian Polian’s plans on special teams. Bauer has steadily improved and garnered more playing time during his first 3 seasons on campus, and I expect the progression to continue during his senior season.