Notre Dame’s Bo Bauer Trending Up By Toning Down
In 2019, Notre Dame sophomore linebacker Matthew “Bo” Bauer had the temperament to excel on special teams.
The seek-and-destroy ferocity and production (his 13 tackles on kick or punt coverage paced the team) earned him the Special Teams Player of the Year Award at Irish Echoes in December.
In 2020, the junior Bauer now has developed the disposition to further thrive as the middle linebacker (Mike) on defense.
Last Saturday’s overall performance on defense was “not the kind of defense we want to put out there,” per head coach Brian Kelly of the 42-26 win over Florida State. Still, the conspicuous presence of Bauer, particularly in the second half, helped the Irish limit the Seminoles to nine points over the final three quarters.
One of the most improved players in August preseason camp, Bauer’s ascent had Kelly even hinting then that senior incumbent Drew White, whose 80 tackles tied for the team lead last year with rover Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, could be challenged by Bauer for snaps.
There was no such challenge last year when White recorded 621 snaps on defense compared to Bauer’s 91.
Although White is still the designated starter, against Florida State Bauer was recorded with 40 snaps — including in the nickel or dime packages — while White had 34. Bauer’s production, especially in the second half, also was evident with four solo tackles, two for lost yardage and a quarterback sack.
It would seem counterproductive to harness a linebacker’s aggressive personality on the field. Yet that is what was required for Bauer to actualize his skills that made him a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 142 overall player while helping lead Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep to 28 consecutive wins and two straight Pennsylvania 4A state titles in 2016 and 2017.
“Bo's evolution has been much more about his ability to control and handle his emotional space,” Kelly explained. “In other words, getting into his emotional zone where he can play the game and play it at the level necessary for him to be the best football player. “
The physical attributes were there to excel, as he did in 2019 on special teams. Lacking were the technical and disciplinary aspects required much more at this level.
“He was a bit out of control in a sense he may miss a fit here or not be lined up in the right position, and he's really done an incredible job of finding that emotional zone that allows him to be locked in and be assignment-correct,” Kelly said.
“You bring that with his physical tools and his knack for finding the football, and you can see a guy that has ascended in our defensive structure … He's starting to influence the way our defense looks when he's out there.”
Bauer used to be what he thought was a “perfect 10” on the intensity scale before realizing he had to dial back in order to move forward.
“I took my energy level from about a ‘10’ to a ‘4,’ and was able to focus while doing that,” he said shortly after the win over Florida State. “I was really able to spend extra time understanding what my purpose was and where I’m supposed to go, and I just slowed everything down.
“Through that process, I wasn’t expecting that at all, but the opportunity was presented and I continued to try to capitalize on that every day, every practice, every rep.”
Now and then, that intensity in the heat of battle will still manifest itself, as it did when he was assessed a 15-yard personal foul on Florida State’s third quarter kickoff after cutting the score to 35-26. That forced the Irish to start from their 14-yard line. Fortunately, they answered with a touchdown march for the game’s final score.
“I wasn’t able to hold the standard there,” Bauer lamented. “I got a little too aggressive on that play. Coach Kelly would agree. It’s just being able to tamper down that energy level and holding our standard throughout the game and every moment, from ST (special teams) to defense.”
It wasn’t Notre Dame’s crispest performance from a tackling standpoint, not unusual given a 20-day layoff between games and nearly 10 straight days without practice because of a COVID-19 spike.
“Our tackling, we can always get better on that, but our physicality was there and our purpose was there,” Bauer said. “…That’s definitely one of our identifiers. We always talk about going for 60 minutes through and through.”
With Bauer’s rise and Buck linebacker still wide open among junior Shayne Simon and sophomores Marist Liufa and Jack Kiser, plus junior Jack Lamb attempting to get back into the mix, it might not even be far-fetched to see Bauer take the lead role in the middle with White hypothetically sliding over to Buck.
“They have to have some flexibility at the position in which they play so we can get the best players on the field,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t be shocked to see guys playing one or two different of those linebacker positions — because we have to get them on the field…
“We can’t just be locked into saying, ‘This guy plays ‘Mike’ or ‘he plays ‘Buck,’ and that’s it. We have to be able to get these guys on the field, because they can help us win.”
Bauer is helping force such a potential issue, which is where his intensity and aggressiveness, combined with newfound focus, is reaping rewards..
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