When Marcus Freeman announced Notre Dame football’s six captains toward the end of fall camp, the biggest surprise on the list was transfer receiver Will Pauling. Through four seasons split between Cincinnati and Wisconsin, the Chicago native reeled in only nine touchdowns and just over 1,300 yards. So why was Pauling, the apparent fourth-option in his own position group, the lone skill position captain for the Irish? It came down to his innate ability to lead.
Pauling began his career for Cincinnati after being recruited by current Notre Dame wide receivers coach Mike Brown. At the time, Freeman was the defensive coordinator for the Bearcats. Pauling never scored a touchdown for the Bearcats, but when Brown followed Cincinnati head coach and Marcus Freeman’s former boss Luke Fickell to Wisconsin, Pauling tagged along.
The undersized, primarily slot receiver would break out in Madison, catching 74 passes for 837 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. Brown only stayed with the Badgers for a season however, before reuniting with Freeman in South Bend to begin the 2024 season. After Notre Dame’s receiving corps struggled throughout much of last year’s CFP season, Brown hit the transfer portal to reinvigorate the Irish passing attack. One of his first calls was to Pauling, now a graduate transfer.
Brown, who played receiver for Liberty and the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, knew what he was looking for in transfer targets. Pauling fit the most important need for his room: leadership. “He’s been a consistent leader since the day he walked in the door,” Brown said.
Pauling learned the importance of consistency early on in his collegiate career. “The number one thing if you’re going to be a leader, is that you have to be a leader every day. You can’t pick and choose when you want to lead,” he said.
Pauling continued by saying, “No matter how things are going off the field or on the field, you have to come in and be the same person every day. Every day I bring the same amount of energy, the same amount of effort, just being me. So if the guys can see that, they kind of gravitate towards you.”
Pauling caught just one pass his freshman season, and also saw statistical dropoffs in every category last season as Wisconsin endured grave challenges at the quarterback position. So when he had just four receptions for 42 yards through the opening three games of his time at Notre Dame, Pauling didn’t panic. “I get voted captain, but then I don’t see the ball as much as I would have imagined, but it didn’t have me too high or too low. I was able to put the team before myself,” he recalled.
As a vocal leader and a captain, Pauling’s impact will always transcend the stat sheet. But his leadership has also transcended beyond the receivers room. He has played a major role in helping acclimate standout redshirt freshman quarterback CJ Carr to high-major college football, and has also impressed the dynamic running back duo with his willingness to block. Junior Jeremiyah Love, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, expressed his admiration of Pauling’s ability to help the team in the ground game, saying, “Will’s a playmaker, and he blocks his butt off on the perimeter.”
Love also commended Pauling’s work ethic, adding, “Will is a great leader, I respect him a lot. He works hard every day and when he gets his opportunities in the game, he makes it count.”
Pauling’s determination and grit has entered the spotlight over the previous two weeks as he has developed into one of Carr’s most trusted targets. In a loaded group headlined by fellow transfer Malachi Fields and juniors Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse, Pauling has become a surehanded red zone weapon. In week five at Arkansas, Pauling reeled in three passes for 53 yards, and found the endzone early in the second quarter on a 21-yard strike to begin the dominant Irish frame. A week later against Boise State, he started at slot receiver filling in for injured Greathouse and had two more catches for 43 yards, including the opening touchdown of the afternoon.
The on-field results haven’t changed Pauling’s personality around the facilities, though. “He’s the same guy whether he has a touchdown or no catches at all, and that’s what you love about him and look for in a captain,” Brown said.
When asked about his recent play, Pauling embodied the gold standard of Notre Dame leadership, deflecting the praise onto his quarterback. Of Carr, he said, “We got quarterbacks who are gonna put it in the right position every time, so once you see the ball in the air you gotta trust your ability and training and go out and make a play.”
He also highlighted the connectivity of the pass catchers, saying, “We’re all super competitive dudes. We all want the ball in our hands. We’re all super confident, not only in ourselves but in each other.” Pauling attributed that confidence to Brown and the rest of the offensive staff, adding, “It’s always good when you’re feeling the trust and confidence of the coaches, and a lot of that is just earned throughout practice.”
Now, as Pauling and Notre Dame head into the back half of their schedule, the margin of error remains at zero if the Irish want to get back into the College Football Playoff. Despite the recent success and resulting confidence, Pauling, just like his head coach, isn’t satisfied — he knows there is still room for vast improvement. “There’s always areas to improve as a receiver, personally and as a unit. There’s still times when we could be better blocking on the perimeter, and you’d always like to have more connections in one-on-one situations,” he said.
If Notre Dame is to run the table and continue its quest for a national championship, the primary reason will be its explosive, balanced, dual-threat offense. Although Pauling may not jump off the page as the most important contributor, behind the scenes, he is the glue connecting the whole unit. The success of Fields, Faison and Greathouse wouldn’t happen without Pauling. The success of Love and Price wouldn’t happen without Pauling. And most importantly, the success of Carr wouldn’t happen without Pauling’s poise and leadership. For five long years, Pauling has been molded for this role, this opportunity and this team. And he isn’t taking it for granted. “This whole year has been a blessing. I wouldn’t change it at all.”
