Transfers who are not quarterbacks aren’t typically in the conversation to be a Notre Dame football captain so when transfer wide receiver Will Pauling got named a captain after fall camp, it caught a number of people outside the Irish program by surprise.

It didn’t surprise his teammates.

“Will is a great leader,” says Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love. “I respect him a lot. He works hard every single day. When he gets his opportunity in a game, he makes it count. Will is a playmaker. He blocks his butt off on the perimeter. He came in last year, put in the work—earned everyone’s respect and became a captain. I respect it a lot.”

Fans assumed Pauling would then be a major part of the offense and that was why he rose to be a captain after arriving at Notre Dame in just January. The season opener at Miami came and Pauling did not make a single catch. And while things have picked up a little bit each week, to date Pauling has just 9 catches for 138 yards through 5 games, although two of his 9 catches have been touchdowns.

“If you are going to be a leader, you have to be a leader every single day–you can’t pick and choose when you want to lead,” Pauling said when asked how he leads even when he’s not out there getting as many opportunities as you would expect from a captain. “No matter how things are going, off the field or on the field, you have to be able to come in and be the same person every day. That’s how I’m able to do it. Every day I bring the same kind of energy, the same kind of effort. I’m the same Will every day. I’m making jokes around the facility being me. I think when guys are able to see, ‘OK Will had a good day and he was like this and Will had a bad day he’s like this.’ When guys are able to see you are going to be the same kind of person every day, that helps people gravitate towards you.”

And that attitude is what made Pauling such an appealing choice to be captain.

“A reflection of a leader is the impact they make when he’s there and when he’s not there,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said of Pauling. “It’s by the example he sets by how he practices. He practices at an extremely high level. He’s a verbal leader. He encourages the room. There is a lot he has done.”

Pauling came to Notre Dame from Wisconsin. Prior to that he was at Cincinnati where he played under current ND wide receivers coach Mike Brown. Brown echoed many of the same words others have.

“He’s the same guy whether he has a touchdown or no catches at all,” Brown said. “He’s the same guy every day. That’s what you love about him. That’s what you need in a captain. That’s the thing you look for is consistency and he’s been a consistent leader since he’s walked in the door, never changes. We appreciate that about him.”

Pauling could see an increased in chances this week against NC State with Jaden Greathouse still out injured and NC State decimated at the nickel position. Regardless of the role, Pauling is grateful for what he’s had to this point.

“This whole year has been a blessing,” Pauling explains. “I wouldn’t change it at all. Come in, not able to do much—I missed most of spring ball and then summer workouts are going through and fall camp comes around and then I get voted captain. Then maybe not seeing the ball as much as you would imagine which didn’t have me too high or too low, I was just able to put the team before myself. It’s been a good year for me. I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve been able to come in and be the same person every day for this team and that’s been good for us.”

Notre Dame hosts NC State Saturday at 3:30pm at Notre Dame Stadium.