MSU's Woods Rallies Against Recent Punt Formation Rule Change
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One of the biggest points of contention in college football right now involves punts.
Back in March, the NCAA adopted a rule change that restricted how teams can line up when punting. It most notably locks teams into a 2x2 formation, meaning there are two linemen on each side of the long snapper. Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald and special teams coordinator LeVar Woods both seem to be strongly opposed to the rule change.
Woods' Activity Online
The topic has come up again during the ongoing Big Ten meetings in California, where topics have ranged from the possibility of a 24-team College Football Playoff to this. ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that all 18 Big Ten head coaches are against the rule change on punt formations.
Woods, the person whose job is most affected by the change, was pretty active on Twitter/X about this topic. He said that he "still [doesn't] understand how a major rule change of this magnitude is passed without the support of the coaches most significantly affected."
How does this make the game better for players, coaches, officials or the fan experience?
— LeVar Woods (@LeVarWoods) May 19, 2026
Still don’t understand how a major rule change of this magnitude is passed without the support of the coaches most significantly affected. https://t.co/QihsrsRRUk
Rules about punt formations may seem a bit dull to the average football fan, but this does have a real impact on the game. Requiring a 2x2 formation and also banning shifts from linemen after they reach the line of scrimmage severely limits how creative Woods and his colleagues can get. If you like fake punts, you won't like this rule.
The point of the rule was to make it easier for defenses to identify which players are eligible receivers in case of a fake, but the fact that the opposition is unanimous in the Big Ten certainly indicates that the change is an overreaction.
Player Safety Concerns
Woods is also concerned about punters' safety under this new rule. He cited a chart studying 150 blocked punts that showed about four out of every five occurred in the now-required 2x2 formation. He also compared the rule change to opening Pandora's Box online in April.
Michigan State had one punt get blocked last season against Nebraska. It came in the 2x2 formation that is now required. Then-starter Ryan Eckley got clobbered, but was, thankfully, OK.
A 2025 study of 150 blocked punts found that 80.7% happened out of the same 2x2 formation this proposed rule would require. Another 12.7% came from formations that would become illegal, while just 6.7% were due to poor operation. pic.twitter.com/IQsC1FBGY1
— LeVar Woods (@LeVarWoods) May 19, 2026
Blocked punts are also the most likely play where punters can get hurt. It's pretty easy to try and block a punt and then accidentally clip either the punter's kicking leg or his plant leg.
This rule change also came down when every college team had already set its roster. MSU has a backup punter -- Northern Arizona transfer Alex Weeks -- in case new starter Rhys Dakin gets hurt, but the overall strategy change this might cause with linemen and gunners could easily have led special teams coordinators to make roster decisions this winter they otherwise wouldn't have made if they knew this rule was coming.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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