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SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football offensive linemen Pat Coogan and Rocco Spindler lost their starting jobs to younger players once before, so this time they’re being proactive.
Both fourth-year players entered the transfer portal on Thursday along with third-year reserve lineman Ty Chan. Much like former Irish center Zeke Correll, a graduate who transferred to N.C. State after the 2023 season, Coogan and Spindler are exiting ahead of a youth movement and leaving with 49 combined starts and their Notre Dame degrees.
While right tackle Aamil Wagner (79.5) was the clear leader in overall grade for the Irish offensive line in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus, Coogan (72.1) and Spindler (70.5) were the next two highest-ranked among the eight different starters Notre Dame used along the way.
Both players returned to the lineup in the Game 3 win at Purdue when starting center Ashton Craig (torn ACL) and right guard Billy Schrauth (high ankle sprain) were injured. Schrauth returned at left guard six weeks later, and Coogan and Spindler started the rest of the way in Notre Dame’s run to the College Football Playoff title game.
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At 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, Coogan is a product of Palos Heights, Ill., who emerged into the spiritual leader of the Joe Moore Award finalists on the Irish offensive line. Coogan’s fiery and profane pregame speeches went viral as Notre Dame won 13 straight games and finished 14-2.
“With Pat, he’s kind of our culture, our compass,” Spindler said in Atlanta before the CFP title game. “He really gets the juices rolling and speaks from the heart and delivers a powerful message to all of us. It just shows his care factor for this O-line and for this team, how he respects all of us and how…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/notre-dame-football-loses-two-143627150.html
Author : South Bend Tribune
Publish date : 2025-01-24 14:36:00
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