This season, IU’s starting center, Pat Coogan, has emerged as one of the most recognizable faces in Bloomington, pairing consistency with quiet dominance. More importantly, history followed the Notre Dame transfer along the way, as Coogan became the first OL since 1944 to win Rose Bowl MVP, a rarity that speaks volumes.

Probably, that’s why head coach Curt Cignetti made him one of the program’s trusted voices. For all 12 games, Coogan was a game captain, one of only two Hoosiers, alongside Aiden Fisher, to carry that responsibility all season. With that level of leadership, while Coogan is making waves inside the Hoosiers’ locker room, the place where his football journey began has become an intriguing point of interest.

Where is Pat Coogan from, and what is Pat Coogan’s nationality?

Raised in Palos Heights, Illinois, Pat Coogan attended Marist High School in Chicago, where his foundation was built in the trenches. As a junior under head coach Ron Dawczak, he helped lead Marist to the Illinois High School Association Class 8A state semifinals. To cap it off, Coogan was a key piece of an O-line that powered the RedHawks to 169.5 rushing YPG and 24 rushing TDs that season.

His bond with Dawczak stands out. When Coogan was named Rose Bowl MVP last week, his former high school coach couldn’t hide his excitement, proud to see the journey.

“I pulled out my phone, rewound it, and I was recording my TV the entire interview that he did just so that I could have it, you know, to refer back to,” said Dawczak. “That’s how proud I was as his former coach.”

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Not just for the Hoosiers, but even before Bloomington, Pat Coogan left his stamp in South Bend. In his first season with Indiana, the impact feels familiar because he once played the same role for Notre Dame, the heartbeat of the locker room.

The American CFB lineman was widely viewed as the Fighting Irish’s “heart and soul,” long before he brought that edge to the Hoosiers. But the path wasn’t smooth.

Coming out of fall camp last season, Coogan lost his starting spot. He also switched from guard to center. But those were temporary setbacks, as when injuries hit Notre Dame’s O-line, Coogan forced his way back into the lineup and stayed there.

The lifelong Irish fan started 13 games and allowed just eight QB pressures. But his fiery pregame speeches went viral as Notre Dame surged to the national title game. Then came the turning point. After a 34–23 loss to OSU, Coogan entered the transfer portal.

A new chapter followed, and he chose Curt Cignetti to shine again.

What is Pat Coogan’s ethnicity?

Pat Coogan’s background is layered, not labeled. His parents, Mary Beth and Mike Coogan, come from a family heritage that’s publicly known on his father’s side, Irish descent, while his mother’s roots remain private. That’s why Coogan’s ethnicity isn’t pinned to a single box.

And honestly, it never needed to be, as his play does the talking. His leadership fills the room, but the turning point came last season after ND’s loss in the National Title game. Following that, Coogan entered the transfer portal, and the message was clear.

Even if it stung, “I think they valued me as a person, leader, and member of the team, but not as a football player, not as a talent on the roster,” said Coogan.

Here, Cignetti saw Coogan as the missing piece and wanted him to know it. He even flew to Chicago to meet Coogan and his father face-to-face. Interestingly, from the moment the IU center arrived in Bloomington, he became the voice.

OC Mike Shanahan said Coogan “knows what to say and buttons to push.”

Perhaps that’s why QB Fernando Mendoza remembered one line of Coogan’s in particular: “Look at us, a bunch of misfits, a bunch of transfers, a bunch of rejects… Now we have a chance to go 12–0.”

While those words stuck, so did the results. Coogan led the Hoosiers straight into the CFP semifinals.

Is Pat Coogan Catholic?

Pat Coogan’s roots run deep, and they run Irish. He grew up in an Irish-Catholic household on Chicago’s South Side, where Notre Dame was a way of life. Even the Coogan name traces back to Ireland, and the identity came with it.

The most intriguing fact is that he doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t a Notre Dame fan. At 12 years old, he asked for Notre Dame–Duke basketball tickets for his birthday and spent countless trips to South Bend wearing a green No. 1 jersey, snapping photos with Irish guards and soaking in the program long before he ever played for it.

The Coogan family is pure South Side subway alumni, with Marist High ties running through generations. His father, Mike, also a Marist grad, had his senior season overlap with Notre Dame’s last national title run. Even his grandparents, Bill and Rosemarie, were Irish fans before their kids ever had a say.

Despite everything, his loyalty to Indiana stands out. Now the question is whether it can carry the program one step closer to a national title this season.