‘He is a dawg’ – Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman praises a new offensive weapon and hints at multifaceted role
New Notre Dame offensive weapon receives rave reviews from HC Marcus Freeman.
When Notre Dame football landed former Wisconsin wide receiver Will Pauling from the transfer portal this offseason, it was met with a pretty underwhelming reception from the fanbase. While Pauling had caught 129 receptions in his career so far while with Cincinnati and the Badgers, he is also coming off of a very underwhelming 2024 season that included injury and a lot of bad drops.
When they initially landed Pauling, most expected this was more of a depth play. The 5-11, 192-pound pass catcher does bring a lot of production, and experience at multiple alignments, but with Jaden Greathouse, Jordan Faison, and Virginia transfer Malachi Fields coming in, it didn’t feel like Pauling would be brought in to start.
It didn’t feel like a needle moving addition.
After the first practice of Fall Camp on Thursday, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman spent time speaking with the Irish media. In between some strange questions being asked, Coach Freeman was also asked about Pauling. He had quite the vote of confidence for the veteran wideout.
“He has a previous relationship with Coach (Mike) Brown,” Coach Freeman said. “Will is a dawg. I love the way he practices. I love how he carries himself. He’s a yes sir, no sir kid off the field, but he is a dawg. He practices at a level where some people need to see the way Will Pauling practices. I am excited to see what he does this season. He is going to help us in the wideout room, but also on special teams.”
It’s still early in camp, so nothing is set in stone, but that review sounds a lot more than a player who is going to end up being good depth. The vibe around the program is that Pauling might be playing quite a bit more than initially anticipated. With his combination of quickness and long speed (supposedly), he could potentially work at both Z and in the slot for the Irish this fall.
The last second throw in from Coach Freeman about special teams might go unnoticed by some, but it’s extremely intriguing. Pauling hasn’t been a full time punt returner during his career, but that comment leads one to believe that could be a role on the table for him. There is some uncertainty with who will be fielding punts, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see No. 2 back there in the opener against the Miami Hurricanes.
If Pauling is better than some people believe, including myself, then it will help the wide receiver room dramatically. He brings a veteran presence, and seems to have made quite the impression on the Irish staff over the last few months. Keeping close tabs on Pauling’s increased opportunities with the first team, and what various alignments he’s playing, will be interesting to track.