Augustana University
In January, Casey Bauman wondered if his football career might be over.
The six-foot-seven quarterback who played the last two seasons at Div II Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. was weighing his options with his agent when possibilities opened up north of the border.
“Along the way, I mentioned that my mom is from Canada,” Bauman said. “That kind of opened those doors a little bit for us and we expedited the process a bit so I could obtain my citizenship.
“I’m just really thankful for…the CFL to give me that opportunity.”
Bauman battled through injuries and fought for playing time in three years at Montana State, before transferring to Augustana. Injuries limited him to eight games in 2022, but last year he played in 13 games, making 216-341 passes for 2,878 yards and 29 touchdowns against nine interceptions.
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An eyebrow raiser
Bauman should catch the attention of scouts, coaches and general managers this week at the CFL Combine presented by New Era. At six-foot-seven and 225 pounds, the Sumas, WA native stands taller than most of the quarterbacks that saw action in the CFL last season. Jake Dolegala, now with the BC Lions, is the same height and saw some significant action last year, in the wake of Trevor Harris‘ injury. Dolegala was the tallest pivot in the league last year.
“You look at my size sometimes and you attach that statue (monicker) a little bit, that you can’t move around,” Bauman said.
“I want to be able to show that I’m able to move a little bit and that I can extend the pocket if need be and make throws down the field. (I can) make plays with my feet if I have to, on top of being a true pocket passer and being able to make all the throws. I’m just thankful to be here and the opportunity the CFL has given me. I’m excited for the week.”
Plenty of CFL influences
Growing up in Washington State, Bauman followed Eastern Washington University closely and saw a lot of Vernon Adams Jr. in his time there. Seeing Adams and Bo Levi Mitchell, another EWU alum, find success in the CFL helped show him that there are football options that extend outside of the U.S. borders.
When he arrived at Augustana, he played for QBs coach Tyler Paopao, a former Ottawa Renegade and the son of former CFLer and coach Joe Paopao. There’s been education on the Canadian game there and for more recent firsthand experience, Bauman has spoken with Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ receiver Ravi Alston, who played at Montana State with Bauman.
Bauman threw for 2,878 yards in 2023, culminating a collegiate career that threw its share of challenges at him (Augustana University)
Worth the wait
Bauman’s collegiate journey was a challenging one. He was named the Bobcats’ redshirt freshman starter, but was benched a couple of games into the season in 2019. When the team went with a new starter in 2021, Bauman made the move to Augustana for 2022, only to run into a shoulder separation there before finally getting to enjoy a full season as a starter in 2023.
“It’s my only real full year of college football where I was able to start all the games and wasn’t dealing with injuries the whole year,” he said.
“It feels like I’ve been working so hard for five years and not been able to do anything, you know what I mean? I had an opportunity at Montana State. It didn’t go as planned and that’s nobody’s fault but my own. To finally get that opportunity to play and stay healthy and do what I believe I can do, it’s hard to put into words. I’m really thankful for that and the ability to have a full season.”
Making it fun again
After things not working out at Montana State and dealing with so many injuries, Bauman is looking forward to getting on the field this week in Winnipeg and trying to have fun playing football again. It’s something you hear often from incoming CFL players that have had their share of difficulties in college, or who have bounced around the NFL, trying to find a roster fit.
“You work so hard, you know, I worked so hard my entire life to get to this place and to get to be able to play in college and to be the quarterback and to be successful. When you’re working that hard and things aren’t going your way, it turns it into more of a battle than a game,” Bauman said.
“Being able to enjoy it and be with guys that you love and have strong culture around you and (to) just have fun again…I think it allows you to compete to your full potential. You’re not always worried and you’re not freaking out all the time. I think it plays a huge role in being successful, enjoying the game and enjoy doing what you love.”
