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With his dad on the coaching staff, Mason Woods seeks eventual impact as tight end for Iowa football program
The freshman from Iowa City West is the son of former Hawkeyes player and current special teams coach LeVar Woods
Aug. 18, 2025 3:14 pm
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Editor’s note: Fourth in a 9-part series looking at the Iowa football team ahead of the season opener on Aug. 30.
IOWA CITY - No Iowa.
No way. No how.
That’s what Mason Woods initially thought.
“Honestly, I think I was just a stubborn kid,” the freshman tight end said recently at Iowa football’s media day. “When recruiting came around, I said I was going to do my own thing, I’m not going to Iowa.
“But I kind of knew in my heart this was the right place, my dream. I grew up watching Iowa football, can’t even give you the number of games I’ve been to over the years. So to have this jersey on right now is kind of crazy.”
Woods had a great career at Iowa City West High School, played wide receiver, tight end, defensive back, linebacker, defensive line and long snapper for the Trojans. He’s a legacy, the son of former Hawkeyes player and longtime assistant coach LeVar Woods.
He isn’t being directly coached by his father. LeVar is Iowa’s expert special teams leader. But that doesn’t mean dad knows nothing about his boy’s progress.
“I see him in drills, I see his film, that kind of stuff. It’s good to have him in the building and actually working,” LeVar Woods said. “Those of us who have played for Coach (Kirk) Ferentz and been around him a long time, we hear his messages every day. I go back five years and would think ‘Man, I wish my son could hear this ...’
“Now he is. He sits a few rows in front of me at meetings, and I always look to see ‘Is he taking notes?’ Like I tell him, like I tell everyone ‘You are listening to a hall of fame football coach. A legendary football coach that has impacted hundreds and thousands of people. So when he speaks, you better listen, and you’d better write it down.’”
Yes, Mason is writing everything down.
“In meetings, we always lock eyes because he’s checking on me to see if I’m paying attention,” Mason Woods said. “But it’s not really that crazy of a difference to me. He’s a coach, he’s a coach in the building, I respect him, and he knows a lot, obviously. I’ll treat him like my dad at home, so that’s kind of what it is.”
Woods isn’t expected to get much, if any, playing time this season, but he’s part of a group that potentially produces the next great Iowa tight end. Senior Addison Ostrenga, junior Zach Ortwerth and graduate student Hayden Large all have experience and will get the first shot at replacing Luke Lachey as the main dude at the position.
Ostrenga had four starts and 15 receptions last season, after starting six times as a junior. Ortwerth had 11 catches in 13 games last season, including four starts.
Large has worked predominantly at fullback in his Iowa career.
“Throughout camp, everybody has kind of been showing their abilities,” Ostrenga said. “I think everybody is stepping up. Being Year 2 with this offense definitely helps. Everybody is a lot more comfortable going out. We can run more plays out of different formations and stuff now that guys have a better idea of what’s going on. That’s huge, and that’s helped a lot.”
“I expect them to continue to get better, expect those guys to continue to take leaps, but more importantly bring some of those other guys with him. Some of the younger guys,” said Iowa tight ends coach Abdul Hodge. ”Those three guys are the most experienced guys in the room, and I expect them to go out there and be consistent and do what you tell them to do. Which they are doing. But more importantly grab those young guys and pull into them. Let’s push this thing forward together.”
D.J. Vonnahme and Michael Burt are redshirt freshmen for Iowa, Woods, Thomas Meyer and Eli Johnson are true freshmen. Vonnahme was formerly a walk-on who was given a scholarship over the summer.
It’ll be interesting to see if Woods ultimately stays at tight end, considering his versatility. But that’s what he is right now.
“I had no say in that,” he said. “I was an athlete, and I was going to play anything. I’m at tight end right now, so I’m working my tail off to get better. It’s definitely an adjustment from being a wideout. But I’m really just focusing on blocks and first steps, all that. Just trying to get better.”
Comments: jeff.johnson@thegazette.com
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