It didn’t take long for Bauer to jump on a Notre Dame scholarship offer. Bauer visited Notre Dame unofficially this week and jumped at the chance to join the Irish class shortly after. This week’s visit wasn’t his first to Notre Dame. Bauer was part of Notre Dame’s recent Irish Invasion – another sign of the event’s immense success.
Bauer took to Twitter to share the good news.
Blessed Beyond Measure ☘☘☘ pic.twitter.com/GwQ79lP5am
— Bo Bauer (@____bb52) August 3, 2016
Matthew Bauer, who goes by “Bo”, comes on board to Notre Dame’s class of 2018, as one of the highest rated defensive recruits in the fledgling group. 247Sports ranks Bauer as the #2 ILB and and #95 overall prospect regardless of position. At 6’3′, 215 lbs entering just his junior season at Cathedral Prep in Erie, PA.
Prior to committing to Notre Dame Bauer held offers from Penn State, Pitt, West Virginia, and Michigan State among others. 247Sports also listed Jim Harbaugh as the primary recruiter for Bauer for Michigan although the Wolverines had not yet extended an offer. Still, the head coach rarely gets involved for a recruit that isn’t going to be a priority.
Bauer comes on board as the third linebacker already for Notre Dame in 2018 but is the first inside backer of the bunch. Bauer joins Ovie Oghoufo and Justin Ademilola in the Notre Dame ’18 linebacking corps although it’s very possible that either could grow into a defensive end – Ademilola specifically. Still, it’s July 2016 and Notre Dame’s class of 2018 already has three 4-star linebackers.
Add Bauer to his fellow linebacker commits for 2018 and the trio that Notre Dame currently has committed to its class of 2017 – Pete Werner, Drew White, and David Adams and it’s very easy to see that the linebacker position has received a lot of attention from linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Mike Elston.
Bauer’s commitment adds to the already ridiculous start of Notre Dame’s class of 2018. Notre Dame now has six commits – all 4-star or better – for 2018 and the Irish are now ranked #2 in 247Sports’s very early team rankings. Of the four, six are on the defensive side the ball.
Umm, Bob Sanders and Mark Stepnoski?
Ahhh have we forgotten Mike McCoy and Fred Biletnikoff?
Can he be the biggest thing out of Erie since Dick Arrington? Arrington was a great wrestler, and in ’65 while Ara was still building his depth, Arrington often played both ways. One of the enduring images of the era, and sorry, I don’t have a picture to share, is the squat Arrington, hands on hips, watching his 10 teammates on one unit leave to be be joined by his ten teammates on the other unit.
Interesting, though completely irrelevant, is that Dick Arrington was born in Kiln, Mississippi, the hometown of Bret Favre.
May Mr. Bauer, Bo dream big dreams, but if he wants to see an Erie role model, let him get a cutup of Dick Arrington and learn from it!
Kid’s got SERIOUS quicks, and he’s only a Soph? Keep on the straight-and-narrow and make The Irish (and us loyal fans) happy!