Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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34 PRESEASON 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE A t the makeshift gym in the Bau- man family garage, Kevin and Alex Bauman trained for fall camp together. The two brothers, the former a tight end at Notre Dame and the latter a tight end at Miami, don't get to spend a ton of time with each other due to the rigorous calendar of a college football player. But when they both had some time off in July, they worked out together — even as they prepared to stand on opposite sidelines. "We give each other s***," Kevin Bau- man said, smiling. "It was far enough away where it's playful." The Irish visit the Hurricanes in Week 1, and the Bauman brothers will play against each other for the first time. Their par- ents, Kevin and Lori Bauman, had custom jerseys made for the occasion: half Miami orange, half Notre Dame blue. There's a good chance those jerseys are the first of their kind. And they weren't really supposed to exist, or at least they would have seemed extremely unlikely a year ago. Alex transferred to Miami from Tulane, where he found his niche as a red zone threat after going under the radar as a recruit. Kevin, after three major lower-body injuries (all to the same leg) and a year as a backup, did not think he would be invited back to Notre Dame for his sixth season. To get to this point took perseverance from both brothers. But on Aug. 31, they'll get there. BROTHERLY LOVE Kevin Bauman went through the ringer to reach his sixth season — and a Week 1 matchup with his brother, Alex Bauman has battled through three major lower-body injuries to the same leg to be in position to contribute at tight end for the Irish this season. His younger brother, Alex (inset), will suit up at tight end for Miami after catching 63 passes and 13 touchdowns in the prior three years at Tulane. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER (INSET PHOTO BY SETH CLARIN PHOTOGRAPHY/CANESPORT)