If you walked into the Notre Dame locker room in late 2024, you’d probably hear Pat Coogan before you saw him. The guy is loud. Not in an obnoxious way, but in that "I will run through a brick wall for this team" way that coaches absolutely adore.
He was the soul of the Fighting Irish offensive line during a chaotic run to the National Championship game. Then, he left.
Basically, Pat Coogan is the quintessential college football story of the 2020s. He’s a blue-collar kid from Chicago who grew up dreaming of South Bend, earned his degree, started on the biggest stage possible, and then—in a move that surprised plenty of people—decided to spend his final year of eligibility elsewhere.
Why? Because football is complicated. And honestly, the Pat Coogan Notre Dame era was just as much about resilience as it was about the actual blocking.
The Grind in South Bend: 2021 to 2024
Coming out of Marist High School in Chicago, Coogan was the guy everyone wanted. He was a three-star recruit, sure, but his offer list looked like a "Who's Who" of college football: LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, and Oklahoma. He chose Notre Dame.
It wasn't an overnight success.
He spent 2021 taking a redshirt. In 2022, he played exactly one game (against Boston College). Most kids today would have hit the portal right then. Coogan didn't. He waited.
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By 2023, the patience paid off. He earned the starting left guard spot and didn't look back, starting all 13 games. That unit was a Joe Moore Award semifinalist, which is basically the Heisman for offensive lines. They were nasty. They paved the way for an offense that averaged over 39 points a game.
Then came 2024. This is where it gets interesting.
Coogan actually lost his starting spot at the beginning of the 2024 season. He didn't start the first three games. Most players would have pouted. Coogan just kept working. When center Ashton Craig went down with an injury against Purdue in Week 3, Coogan stepped in. He didn't just play; he took over the leadership of the entire line.
He started the final 13 games of that season, leading the Irish through a gauntlet that included wins over Georgia and Penn State. He was the guy snapping the ball in the National Championship against Ohio State.
Moving South: The Indiana Jump
After the 2024 title game loss, Coogan had a choice. He already had his degree in American Studies. He had 37 career starts at one of the most prestigious programs in the country. But he wanted one more year at his "natural" position: center.
When Indiana coach Curt Cignetti called, the message was simple. He needed a "winner" to anchor an offensive line for a program trying to prove it belonged in the elite tier of the Big Ten.
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Coogan took the four-hour drive from South Bend to Bloomington. It worked.
In 2025, Coogan was the "heart and soul" of an Indiana team that went undefeated in the regular season and won the Big Ten Championship. Think about that. He left a powerhouse and immediately helped turn a "basketball school" into a football juggernaut.
He capped it off by being named the Rose Bowl Offensive MVP in January 2026. For a center to win MVP? That's almost unheard of.
Scouting the Pro Potential
So, is Pat Coogan an NFL player? NFL scouts are torn.
On one hand, he’s 6-foot-5 and 311 pounds. He has "elite" pass-blocking numbers—PFF gave him an 81.9 pass-blocking grade in 2025. He didn't allow a single sack or hit on his quarterback all season. That’s insane.
On the other hand, scouts worry about his "coiled power." Basically, he’s a technician, not a mauler. He uses his hands perfectly and understands stunts and blitzes better than almost anyone, but he can struggle against those massive 340-pound nose tackles who just want to bull rush him into the backfield.
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Here’s the breakdown of what the league thinks:
- The Good: High IQ, versatile (can play Guard or Center), incredible leader, elite pass protection.
- The Bad: Limited "pop" in the run game, occasionally loses balance on the second level.
- The Verdict: He’s likely a mid-to-late round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft who sticks on a roster for a decade because he’s too smart to cut.
Why the Pat Coogan Notre Dame Journey Matters
Looking back, Coogan represents everything that’s right (and some things that are weird) about modern college football. He stayed loyal to Notre Dame when he wasn't playing. He stepped up when the team needed a backup to become a hero. And he used the transfer portal not to "chase a bag," but to find a scheme where he could be the centerpiece.
He finished his college career with a resume that looks like a video game:
- Started for a National Runner-Up (Notre Dame, 2024).
- Won a Big Ten Championship (Indiana, 2025).
- Rose Bowl MVP (2026).
- Zero sacks allowed in his final season.
If you’re a Notre Dame fan, you probably miss his pregame speeches. If you’re an Indiana fan, you’re wondering how you ever lived without him.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're following Coogan's transition to the professional ranks, watch the NFL Scouting Combine closely. His "short shuttle" and "three-cone" times will be more important than his bench press. If he shows he has the lateral agility to pull and reach-block at the next level, he’ll climb up draft boards.
For those looking at his legacy, remember that the "center" isn't just a guy who snaps the ball. He's the guy who identifies the "Mike" linebacker and sets the protection. Coogan did that for two different top-10 programs in two years. That’s a rare level of football intelligence that front offices in the NFL value more than raw strength.
Keep an eye on the Senior Bowl invites; if Coogan gets the call to Mobile, expect him to be one of the "risers" of the draft cycle.