Pat Coogan’s Journey: From Notre Dame to Indiana, and the Brotherhood Behind a Heisman Season
NEW YORK - Indiana doesn’t hand out permanent captain titles, but if you were anywhere near the Playwright Ballroom on Saturday night, you didn’t need a title to know who was leading the charge of celebration. Pat Coogan, the veteran offensive lineman and former Notre Dame starter, was front and center among a dozen Hoosiers players, all there to support their quarterback - and now Heisman Trophy winner - Fernando Mendoza.
As Mendoza entered the room just before 9 p.m., trophy in hand and smile wide, Coogan was one of the first to greet him. The two embraced, surrounded by teammates who’ve been through the grind together. This wasn’t just about a trophy - it was about the bond that forms when belief, hard work, and shared faith intersect in a locker room.
“So much fun,” Coogan said after the ceremony. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
That’s why me and all my boys are here, cheering Fernando on. It’s just an awesome day for all of us but an even better day for him and his family.”
A year ago, Mendoza was still figuring out his next move after leaving Cal. He committed to Indiana on Christmas Eve, taking a leap of faith on Curt Cignetti’s vision for the program. Just a month later, Coogan would make a similar decision, entering the portal and eventually choosing Indiana as his next stop after two seasons and 26 starts at Notre Dame.
Coogan didn’t hesitate when asked what Mendoza’s Heisman moment meant to him.
“He’s earned it,” he said. “He encompasses everything the Heisman stands for.
He’s an awesome person, but he’s also an awesome football player. Obviously, we all know that now.”
A Connection Rooted in Faith and Brotherhood
Coogan’s arrival in Bloomington came quickly - just eight days after entering the portal - and his decision was influenced by more than just football. His longtime girlfriend, Sarah Skalitzky, was finishing her degree at Indiana, and the familiarity with the school helped. But it was something deeper that helped him connect with Mendoza: a shared Marist high school background and the values that come with it.
Mendoza attended Columbus High School in Miami; Coogan went to Marist High in Chicago. Both schools were founded by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic religious order with a focus on education and service. That shared experience helped lay the foundation for a fast friendship.
“The Marist Brothers have meant so much to myself,” Mendoza said during his post-Heisman press conference. “Not only enhancing my faith, enhancing my education, enhancing the man I am today. Without Columbus, I would not be here.”
When Mendoza gave a shoutout to the Marist brotherhood during his speech, Coogan - standing in the back of the room - raised a fist in silent solidarity. It was a moment of mutual recognition, a nod to the roots that helped shape both of them.
Coogan sees a lot of similarities between Mendoza and another quarterback he once protected: former Notre Dame signal-caller Riley Leonard. Both are open about their faith, both are emotionally grounded, and both are relentless in their process.
“Very similar, honestly,” Coogan said. “Very detail-oriented, very process-oriented. Emotional guys, but also just great human beings.”
When Coogan took his official visit to Indiana, Mendoza - still new to campus himself - was one of the first people to welcome him. They met for dinner at the Uptown Café in Bloomington, and the connection was immediate.
“He was one of the first people I met,” Coogan recalled. “Me and my dad went to dinner, and (Mendoza) was one of the first people to walk in.
He was awesome. We were super tight through the process.”
Blocking for Heisman Finalists - Twice
Through 13 games this season, including Indiana’s Big Ten title win over Ohio State, Coogan has been a rock at center. He hasn’t allowed a single sack.
Just eight pressures all season - and only once did more than one come in a single game. That kind of consistency matters, especially when you’re protecting a quarterback making a run at college football’s most prestigious award.
But this isn’t Coogan’s first rodeo with elite talent. He also blocked for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, another Heisman finalist this year. That puts Coogan in rare company - the only offensive lineman in the country who can say he helped clear the way for two Heisman contenders in back-to-back seasons.
“It’s so cool,” Coogan said. “I’m just happy for them both.
It is a great honor. Obviously, I’m happy for Fernando to take it home - an unbelievable honor.”
It’s been a winding road for Coogan. After losing his starting job at left tackle to underclassman Sam Pendleton in the 2024 preseason, he slid over to center when Ashton Craig went down with a torn ACL in Week 3 against Purdue. Coogan stepped in and stabilized the line - and the offense - from that point forward.
But when Notre Dame made it clear in postseason meetings that Coogan would return to a backup role once Craig recovered, he made the tough call to move on.
“I think (Notre Dame) valued me as a person, leader and member of the team,” Coogan said earlier this year. “But not as a football player, not a talent on the roster.”
Craig would later suffer another season-ending ACL tear in 2025, and while Joe Otting filled in admirably, the Irish could have used a steady veteran like Coogan down the stretch. Instead, he was anchoring Indiana’s offensive line and helping guide a Heisman campaign.
Culture Fit and the Cignetti Standard
Indiana’s roster has seen significant turnover under Cignetti, especially through the transfer portal. But for Coogan, the culture has been the glue.
“Very similar,” he said, comparing Indiana’s integration of transfers to what he saw at Notre Dame. “It’s all about culture.
Coach Cignetti has done a great job of implementing a culture and setting the precedent of what the standard is. Every player has to live up to that standard.”
That standard - and the belief behind it - has been a driving force for Indiana’s rise this season. And for Coogan, it’s made the journey all the more meaningful.
“All the players live up to that and trust in that, and all the players believe in the standard and believe what he sees in us,” he said. “It’s been an awesome journey, and I’m very grateful.”
From South Bend to Bloomington, from left tackle to center, from blocking for one Heisman finalist to another - Pat Coogan’s path hasn’t always been straight. But it’s been steady, grounded in faith, forged in friendship, and defined by a belief in something bigger than himself.