Notre Dame Tight End Kevin Bauman Is On The Comeback Trail, Again

Kevin Bauman is looking for a little good luck this season. A little luck might be a mammoth amount more than the Notre Dame tight end has had the last two seasons, which have both been abbreviated due to injury.

Bauman played in Notre Dame’s season-opening win at Florida State in 2021, but missed the next seven games with a broken leg. He saw action in four of the team’s final five games, including the Fiesta Bowl, and finished with one reception for 10 yards against Georgia Tech.

He went into last season as the No. 2 tight end on the depth chart behind stalwart Michael Mayer, but his season ended almost before it began. He started the opener against Ohio State and played the next two weeks against Marshall and Cal before he tore an ACL in practice before the Irish faced North Carolina. Bauman says he just got back to 100% before Notre Dame’s fall training camp began.

"Just about a week-and-a-half ago I got cleared for return to play,” Bauman recalled. "I wouldn’t say I’m right at 100 percent because there’s still that acclimation period. I’m full go (contact), there’s no limitations, just kind of limiting the load for practice. But in terms of contact, cutting, running, blocking, I’m 100 percent in that I’m able to do everything but they’re kind of easing me back into everything. Rob Hunt and his team know the protocol; (offensive coordinator) Coach (Gerad) Parker is on board with the protocol. Just kind of to return in a safe manner and not rush anything.”

The 6-4.5, 256-pound tight end from Red Bank, New Jersey was in a good place before his injury last year and now he is working to push to a new level as he recovers from injury, again.

"Now it’s just becoming more well-rounded,” Bauman explained. "The big thing for me (last year) was a confidence thing and that grew a lot for me in spring ball last year and into fall camp. Being out there and realizing that I can dominate at this level. For me I felt like a well-rounded player. Coach Parker came in and really helped me take my game to the next level. I felt like I was a well-rounded player, but maybe the details weren’t there necessarily.

"This past year plus has been a lot of focus, a lot of work on the details,” Bauman continued. "That’s what took my route game to the next level. My run game. Hand placement, hat placement, footwork. Certain things I maybe hadn’t paid enough attention to in the past now became the forefront of what we do here. The work was in the details. That’s what took me to that next level.”

Bauman is one of two Irish tight ends who suffered season-ending ACL injuries last season. Eli Raridon re-tore his right ACL about a month after Bauman tore his. Raridon said recently he hopes to be back to 100% by Notre Dame’s Aug. 26 season opener against Navy in Dublin, Ireland.

Bauman is a senior, but has three remaining seasons of eligibility, including the covid season of eligibility as well as last season, since he only played in three games before his injury.

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