Indiana center Pat Coogan is a winner. He helped Notre Dame get to the national title game in 2024-25 and will be leading the Hoosiers to the same spot this year. His presence has turned Indiana’s offensive line into one of the best in the country. No two plays speak louder to his winning attitude than his two fumble recoveries that went for first downs.
Early in the season against Indiana State IU running Kaelon Black put the ball on the ground in the red zone. A disaster of a start was saved by center Pat Coogan pouncing on the ball at the seven-yard line. It was not a huge play in a game that ended 73-0, but it was a sign of the winning culture instilled in this team.
Fast forward a couple months and there it was again. With IU leading 35-7 and driving on their first possession after half time, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza scrambled and fumbled after an 18-yard gain. It looked like the break Oregon may need to get back into the game, but there was big Pat Coogan, the offensive MVP of the Rose Bowl, again to jump on the ball.
“Pat Coogan is a winner. And we’ve got a lot of guys like Pat Coogan.” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said. “The fact that he was 20 yards down the field and recovered that fumble, it didn’t surprise me a bit that it was Pat Coogan.”
Coogan has been the anchor that Indiana has needed on the offensive line to take them to the next level.
“He’s been key to the development of the offensive line, one of the leaders on our football team. And this team has really grown closer as the season’s gone on. It’s a very tight group. And this team has probably taken the message of how we want to play and put it on the field to a greater extent than any of the other teams we’ve had.” Cignetti said. “Pat’s a key part of that. He’s very highly respected by his teammates. He prepares great. I mean, you’re on the plane, traveling. You’ll see Pat back there. He’s reading his notes, writing things down. The game means a lot to him.”
After the Peach Bowl win IU offensive coordinator pointed out that that particular play just shows how IU kind of creates their own luck by being relentless in effort. Coogan said that is has been a part of his DNA forever.
“It’s definitely a mindset that’s been instilled in me from an early age, just way back when chasing after the ball. Because you really never know, right? Those abilities to hop on loose balls can really change the game and change the outcome of a game. They happen very so often but they’re big moments. They’re really big moments. It’s happened a few times to me in my career. Yeah, any one of us could have been in that position because any one of us runs after the ball and takes great pride in that. It just so happened that the ball bounced our way and bounced my way. I was happy to be there for my quarterback because he’s been there for me many times, escaped pressure, whatever it may be. He’s had my back numerous, numerous times, so I was happy to have his for once.” Coogan said of the play.
Cignetti, who is always coaching however, did have one minor critique for Coogan on the play.
“We just gotta teach him now, once he recovers it, to roll over it properly.” Cignetti said with a grin and a chuckle.