‘I kept it on my phone’ – Notre Dame star LB Drayk Bowen reveals what has been guiding him and his Fighting Irish teammates
Notre Dame LB Drayk Bowen gives insight into what is driving him
For some, it was a historic season for Notre Dame football in 2024. After losing to Northern Illinois earlier in the season, there was a section of the schedule where doubts crept in, and a lot of people wondered about where this program was heading under head coach Marcus Freeman. Flash forward to the end of that season, and there wasn’t a doubter left in sight, at least not a loud one.
Although the Fighting Irish weren’t able to finish off their unlikely National Championship run, the program announced its presence. Following that 14-win season, and continued talent acquisition and roster development under Coach Freeman, there’s no reason to think that Notre Dame is going away. It’s exciting times around South Bend, Indiana, to say the least.
While some might think that last season’s playoff run would be something the Irish players remember fondly, it appears to have created a bit of a sour taste in their mouth. That includes standout linebacker Drayk Bowen, who was available for media availability over the weekend.
“It gives us more motivation and confidence,” Bowen told the media. “We were always a confident group. Last year was last year. It is over. We have different people coming in, and different people left. For me, last year was motivation. I kept it on my phone, look on my phone every day. The way we went through the playoffs, and being that close, eight points away. We were a score away. It is just more motivation of remembering what happened. We have a saying, “keep the pain”, keeping that pain as motivation throughout the summer and into the fall.”
Hearing how players like Bowen are holding onto that defeat, while straddling the line of unhealthy motivation, is great to hear as a Notre Dame fan. This team got a taste of success last season, but that hasn’t made them close to complacent. If anything, the season ending that way has only made them hungrier.
Hearing it come directly from Bowen is also pretty exciting. Now heading into his second year as the starting middle linebacker, Bowen has taken a huge step this offseason from a leadership perspective. He’s the main communicator for defensive coordinator Chris Ash, and him taking his game to a higher level this fall will be vital for this team to get another chance at glory.
The 6-2, 234-pound defender is the leading returning tackle for Notre Dame heading into the 2025 season. He ended that year with 78 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, four pass breakups, and three forced fumbles. Bowen also spent some time working on his pass rush plan, hoping to become an all around playmaker in the middle of the Irish defense.
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