Iowa special teams notebook: LeVar Woods discusses progress at kicker, punt return

IOWA CITY — Iowa lost the Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year and a third-team Associated Press All-American kicker after the 2021 season.

But many special teams metrics include the Hawkeyes’ 2022 special teams unit, with some younger faces, in the top 30 in the country.

Iowa is 21st in special teams efficiency in ESPN’s Football Power Index. ESPN’s SP+ rankings considers Iowa as the ninth-best special teams unit. The Hawkeyes are 19th in Football Outsiders’ FEI special teams ratings.

Special teams coordinator LeVar Woods attributed the consistent success to the “culture that Coach (Kirk) Ferentz sets within this building.”

“Not just what Coach Ferentz sets, but what our guys are trying to do,” Woods said. “With (Jack) Campbell and (Seth) Benson, (Terry) Roberts and (Cooper) DeJean, those guys are playing every snap on defense, but yet, they're the first guys to run down on punt coverage. That doesn't happen on a lot of teams.”

Drew Stevens ‘has done a good job’ as No. 1 kicker

Kicker Drew Stevens has been 6-for-7 on field goals as a true freshman. It’s clear the No. 1 kicker job is now Stevens’ to lose after Aaron Blom occupied it for the first two weeks.

“Drew has done a pretty good job with that role,” Woods said. “As long as the opportunities keep coming and he keeps taking advantage of them, I see that going for him.”

Woods still envisions some role in the future for Blom, but he doesn’t know what that will look like yet.

“(Blom) has been busting his butt and working hard, too,” Woods said. “Coach (Ferentz) said this in a press conference. I don't think we've seen the last of Aaron Blom. I would agree with him on that. Whether it's in place kicks or kickoffs, somewhere in there, we're still working with that.”

Iowa ‘can be better’ in punt returns

Replacing Charlie Jones, last year’s Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, is not an easy task.

The Hawkeyes have returned 12 of opponents’ 39 punts, excluding the two blocked punts.

Wide receiver Arland Bruce IV has averaged 5.8 yards per return in his first year in the role.

Jones last year had 10.5 yards per return and had a touchdown.

Woods said kickoff and punt returns are areas where they’re “still working to improve.”

Punt return was an area of emphasis in Wednesday’s practice, especially regarding how the unit can move defenders out of the way while running downfield.

“That opens a seam for the returners,” Woods said. “What we focused on today is just trying to give the returner better vision, more opportunities that way.”

Kickoff strategy

Stevens has booted 16 of his 22 kickoffs for touchbacks. Woods said the strategy for when to have Stevens kick it through the end zone and when to force a return is a matter of hang time.

“We're striving for four-second hang time,” Woods said. “(Four seconds) hang is what we say. Anything beyond that is a bonus. … The timing gets thrown off when the ball is hanging way up in the air.”

Stevens has “done a pretty good job with that,” Woods said.

“He is not totally at 4.0 hang time on his kickoffs, but he is pretty close,” Woods said.

One of Michigan kicker Jake Moody’s kickoffs against Iowa on Oct. 1 was an example of what a longer hang time can accomplish. He believes the hang time was 4.28 seconds.

“We tried to return it, and we found out real quick it's hard to do,” Woods said.

Stec’s impact on kick returns

Defensive lineman Louie Stec is among the players on the kick return unit to leave a strong impression on Woods.

“He is a lower guy to the ground, bigger guy that can pack a punch and move people out of the way,” Woods said.

Stec’s impact at an “unheralded” position on the kick return unit as a defensive lineman reminded Woods of Garret Jansen, a Pella native who played at Iowa in the mid-to-late 2010s.

“Very similar,” Woods said. “Mobile. Can move. Can strike guys on the run. Hard to do. Typically it's fullbacks that play that position.”

Sec also has been a part of the shield on the punt coverage unit.

“Louie is a stout, powerful, tough guy that handles that dirty work,” Woods said.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com