Rowdy Bauer is a safety from Norfolk, Nebraska, who attended Norfolk High School where he played multiple positions for the Panthers. As a senior in 2023, he recorded 719 rushing yards and 252 receiving yards with 11 touchdowns, adding 27 tackles, one interception, and three breakups defensively. He earned honorable-mention all-state honors from the Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald. Bauer also competed in track, winning the all-class gold medal in long jump with a leap of 23-7 1/2 in 2024. He joined Nebraska as a walk-on and redshirted in 2024 after appearing in one game against UTEP. In 2025, his redshirt freshman year, Bauer played in two games against Akron and Houston Christian. He has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors and multiple citizenship awards.