Pat Coogan took the nearly four hour drive from South Bend to Bloomington to find his new home with the Hoosiers. The 6’5″, 311-pound offensive lineman entered the transfer portal after helping lead Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff national championship game. He wound up in Bloomington, where Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti didn’t let him leave with out becoming a Hoosier.
“I mean I can’t say I imagined my career to go this way, but I’m glad it did, because I’m glad, super glad to be here.” Coogan said after IU’s second fall practice.
Now that Coogan has been a Hoosier for over sixth months his focus is on fine tuning the fundamentals of playing center.
“I think it is an extreme part of the game.” Coogan said. “And extreme part of the center spot is being able to diagnose defenses. And, you know, see both sides of the field, see past the first and second line, lines of defense, see into the safety rotation, all those things. So it is a very mental huge part of the game, especially at the center spot.”
Coogan was a key transfer because he can play center, even if it’s a relatively new position for him. Coogan started his career playing guard and eventually lost his start his starting role at Notre Dame in fall camp last year. Due to injuries, Coogan found his way back into the starting lineup, but this time at center.
“I think just continue to grow in that spot” Coogan said when asked about what he can improve. “Last year was my first year at center, but I have a ton of experience playing on the inside of an on the interior of an offensive line, so just there’s fine tunes in my game that I really want to clean up, whether it’s footwork or hand placement or head placement, stuff like that, always needs attention and always needs work, and things like my anchor in the past game and my hands in the past game as well, just continue to work on those. And fall camp is a great time to do so.”
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti thinks Coogan is a perfect fit for IU.
“(Pat) was an older guy, was looking for a home. He had a girlfriend that went to school here. We were looking for a center. Mike Katic had graduated. It was a perfect fit. Sure, glad we got him, and I think he’s going to be a great leader for us.” Cignetti said as he explained Coogan’s journey to IU.
Cignetti also understands the evolution and sophistication that comes with the center position. It’s more than just snapping the ball.
“I think the center position, like most of the other positions on the football team, have evolved quite a bit as technology has improved and the game has become more sophisticated.” Cignetti said. “I think offense, defense, special teams are more complex than they used to be, but the learning tools and the teaching tools available to the student-athletes have improved also, so their ability to learn faster, quicker, and more has changed as the game has changed.”
Coogan’s addition will go under the radar a bit because he plays center and not quarterback, but it may have been the most important for the Hoosiers. He stabilized the offensive line room. With Bob Bostad coaching the offensive line, Coogan’s fine tuning is in good hands.
Coogan and the Hoosiers will start their 2025 season on August 30th against Old Dominion.