One of the position battles that has been the most watched and talked about during Indiana’s spring practice session has been at center. The Hoosiers lose Pat Coogan to the NFL, leaving a void on a unit that finished as a finalist for the Joe Moore Award. While Coogan is no longer on the team, his lessons will last.
The Indiana Hoosiers’ offensive line was one of the foundational pieces that helped them to a 16-0 national championship season in 2025. At the center of it all was Coogan, a transfer from Notre Dame. Indiana is trying to fill that role with a number of options.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said that he is looking at five players at the center position, two of whom are Bray Lynch and Drew Evans.
Lynch played one snap at center last season, and it came in Indiana’s Peach Bowl win over Oregon when Coogan’s helmet was ripped off by a defender. He was supposed to be the first in line for the center job, but a postseason surgery to clean up a lingering injury has limited him this spring.
“(The injury) happened early on in fall camp, but I had some loose bodies in my ankle,” Lynch said. “I didn’t want to do anything with it during the year, so I did it this time.”
Evans has had his own injury woes, but has been healthy this spring. He has been working at center as well. Both players look back on the lessons they learned from Pat Coogan to help them move forward at the position.
“Coogan was so methodical in the way that he took on each and every week leading up to a game day,” Lynch said. “I roomed with him in the hotel before games. And, you know, he was so focused on notes and the little things that you might have done the rep, you know, 10,000 times in fall camp, but you’re still going to write down that minor detail that you need to work on.”
Evans, who has started for Indiana at guard the last two seasons, looks to be trying to slide over to the middle. He too, has looked at the example Coogan provided.
“When we watch film from last year, I’m always watching Pat like and just like thinking like the little things he does, the stuff he says, the calls he makes and trying to learn everything I can because I think Pat’s a really good example of a really good center.” Evans said.
Evans did admit that it has been an adjustment for him, but that he continues to get better and better at the position. Coogan started all 16 games for Indiana last season, but his lessons will remain.
Indiana will wrap up their spring season with the annual spring football game on April 23rd.