Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods is leaving to join Pat Fitzgerald’s staff at Michigan State. Woods has been part of the Hawkeye coaching staff since 2008. He played for Kirk Ferentz and Hayden Fry before embarking on an NFL career. Woods will serve as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator with the Spartans.

Woods would like to become a head coach and feels this is the next step on that path.

Woods says it was a difficult decision to leave.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says Woods will remain on the Iowa staff through the end of the ReliaQuest Bowl against Vanderbilt on New Years Eve.

Ferentz says Woods has been a big part of the success of the program.

Ferentz says the goal in filling the position will be to find the next LeVar Woods.