Of all the Notre Dame players to enter the transfer portal last winter, Pat Coogan's exit was among the departures that stung the most. It wasn't that the Irish were unable to replace his talent, but he was a vocal leader who routinely delivered speeches to his teammates that spurred them onto a path that didn't end until the National Championship Game.
Unfortunately, Coogan was a casualty of the incredible depth the Fighting Irish have built on the offensive front. That he was plenty good was obvious when he signed with Indiana, fresh off the program's first College Football Playoff appearance.