While the offseason focus on the Notre Dame football offense has been who will be the starting quarterback, there are other positions that will be just as important for the Fighting Irish’s success. Wide receiver is certainly one of those spots, considering how much the group has underachieved. One receiver in particular in Will Pauling could be set to stand out in a big way in 2025.
While Pauling’s numbers weren’t great in 2024, his performance the year before shows that he might be able to do for the Irish. Head coach Marcus Freeman certainly seems to think he’s got a big-time contributor on the roster.
Will Pauling earns Freeman’s praise as potential breakout star in Notre Dame’s evolving offense
"He practices at a different pace and a different effort level than what I’d seen in the past,” the Notre Dame football coach told On3’s Tyler Horka. “And he's a playmaker” Horka went on to say that Freeman added that “he's never seen a wide receiver practice with the intensity and the purpose and the intentionality that Will Pauling does.”
All of this should make any Fighting Irish fans plenty excited about what might come from Pauling being a top target for either CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey. Last season, an injury hampered year saw him still catch 42 passes for 407 yards and 3 TD.
However, in 2023 he broke out for Luke Fickell’s high powered offense, catching 74 passes for 837 yards and 6 TDs. The Blue and Gold offense likely won’t see him put up those numbers again, but someone who is capable of doing so in South Bend should be plenty exciting.
Horka was certainly convinced by Freeman’s glowing review of the transfer wide receiver.
"I'd be looking out for Will Pauling. Because we didn't get to see him much during the spring, he was coming back from the injury he sustained at Wisconsin. So you haven't seen the best of Will Pauling in a Notre Dame uniform, and you might really see it when it matters the most."
The Notre Dame football team could be set to surprise people with its air attack if Pauling can continue to rise.