RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesOne of Iowa football's biggest departures this offseason was former special teams coach LeVar Woods leaving to become Michigan State's assistant head coach and special teams coach.
Under Woods' watch, Iowa routinely fielded some of the nation's top special teams units. After taking over as Iowa's special teams coordinator in 2018, Hawkeye players earned first-team All-Big Ten honors on 10 occasions on special teams. Iowa players captured the Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year award five times with Woods as the special teams coordinator and in four out of the past five years, including the past three.
On Tuesday at Big Ten media days, Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz was asked how the Hawkeyes will handle Woods' departure from the program.
As he enters his 28th season, Ferentz first reflected upon Iowa's commitment to its special teams over the years.
"When we started 28 years ago, our first building block was strength and conditioning. Second thing was special teams. Lester Erb at that time was our coordinator. We've had a real strong tradition. LeVar did a great job.
"Every guy that has handled the special teams has done a great job. We have made a commitment to it as a program. A lot of people talk about things, but we actually commit meeting time to it, practice time. Every guy, if you look back historically, you think about Bob Sanders, Dallas Clark, two of our best players ever, obviously two of our best players in the early years, they cut their teeth on special teams. That's how they became notable players. When they were veteran guys, they were fighting us to get on special teams. (Chad) Greenway, the same thing, Abdul Hodge. It's just been part of our DNA, if you will," Ferentz.
Ferentz lauded the job that Woods did with the Hawkeyes.
"Fast forward to LeVar, he had coached other positions. Linebackers, tight ends. That's when the NCAA allowed our staff to expand, everybody's staff to expand. We could specify and have a sole special teams coach, and LeVar is the first one that we've had. Did a great job," Ferentz said.
Ferentz and Iowa are confident in the job that new special teams coordinator Chris Polizzi will do.
"I'm very confident Chris Polizzi has a similar background. He's been a coordinator, defensive coordinator for many years. Been in front of room, knows how to organize things. We're not changing the playbook. It's more about the players. It always has been, in my mind. I think what we've done has been solid in all three phases over the years. It's about the players and their stories, how they develop
"I'll go back to Drew Stevens. Nobody was worse his first spring. That fall he did a great job. I never would have predicted it around the spring. That's the fun part, who is going to emerge and do a great job," Ferentz said.
Polizzi served as one of Iowa's defensive analysts in 2025 and was previously the defensive coordinator at Tulsa and UT-Martin.
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa football talks LeVar Woods' departure, impact on special teams
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