As the University of Toledo prepared for a game at Northern Kentucky during Jordan Lauf’s sophomore season, the 6-foot-5 guard stood on the court at the Bank of Kentucky Center while the Rockets went through their shootaround.
“We were going through NKU’s plays,” Lauf recalled nearly eight years later, “and coach [Tod Kowalczyk] came up to me and asked, ‘What are they running here?’ I pointed it out and told him what the action was and he said, ‘That’s why you’re going to be on my staff one day. You get it.’”
So when assistant coach Walter Offutt left to join Ryan Pedon at Illinois State, Kowalczyk didn’t have to go far to fill the position. He simply walked out of his office in the Chapman Basketball Complex and took one step to the left into Lauf’s lair, elevating him from director of operations to assistant coach.
“He’s smart. He’s hardworking. He’s tough,” Kowalczyk said. “For me, it was a no-brainer. He’s been very loyal. Clearly, he deserved the opportunity to be moved up.”
The three-time all-state honoree had an inkling that coaching would be in his future as he wandered the halls at Napoleon High School. Lauf’s dad, John, was involved in his son’s teams growing up and it was a path Jordan wanted to follow.
Once he got immersed in college basketball, Lauf knew he wasn’t going to leave — even after his playing days ended.
“I felt like I picked up stuff right away,” Lauf said. “I really wanted to learn. In my playing days, I was watching film with assistant coaches on guys that I was going to be guarding in upcoming games, and I saw how they operated on a day-to-day basis as far as breaking down film. The older I got in my career, I wanted to implement that in my game.”
In a school-record 133 career games, Lauf averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He was a 34.9 percent 3-point shooter and his win shares — an estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player due to his offense and defense — was 10.3. By comparison, Purdue’s Jaden Ivey, who’s projected as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, had a career wins shares of 7.0. (Ryan Rollins’ is 8.3.)
According to Kowalczyk, he planted the coaching seed with Lauf during the recruiting process.
“I told him, ‘Listen, if you come play for me, I’ll hire you as a GA and help you get in the profession, and if you do a good job, I’ll move you up,’” Kowalczyk said. “And that’s exactly what happened.”
Hands-on experience came in the form of coaching the gold team during Toledo’s 76-76 drill. Lauf battled a knee injury throughout his senior season, resulting in less practice time. Kowalczyk used the opportunity to give Lauf a preview of what coaching entails.
Upon graduating with a degree in business management in 2017, Lauf served as the men’s basketball program’s graduate assistant. He completed his master’s degree in recreation and leisure studies and embarked on a four-year stint as director of operations.
And he was prepared for Year No. 5 if an assistant gig didn’t open at UT.
“I’m extremely loyal to coach Kowalczyk,” Lauf said. “I have a lot of loyalty to the University of Toledo. This is my home, and this is where I want to be. It would have taken a lot [to leave]. My main goal and focus was to stay patient.”
Lauf joins Justin Ingram, also a former Rocket and former director of operations, and long-time Toledo assistant Jeff Massey on Kowalczyk’s staff.
“I think he’ll be a great fit,” senior forward JT Shumate said. “He was so great at the DOBO [director of basketball operations] position, and it felt like he was an assistant coach anyway with the way he walked around and how much knowledge he had for the game.”
The biggest job responsibility Lauf will take on doesn’t involve coaching.
Programs are built through recruiting, and it’ll be his duty to identify, evaluate, and develop relationships with players that best fit Toledo’s system.
The Rockets have a good thing going, with back-to-back Mid-American Conference championships and a roster that should be the preseason favorite to win a third consecutive title. But the momentum must continue in high school gyms and living rooms for UT to maintain its success over five, six, or seven seasons.
So what makes a good recruiter?
Kowalczyk believes a good personality, tireless work ethic, and organization are critical to being at the top of the game.
“I want to continue to help this program win and you do that by bringing in high-level basketball players and high character guys,” Lauf said. “I’m excited to learn more about players and their families and their high school coaches and do evaluations from a live perspective.”
And he’ll enjoy every single day.
“I’m 28 years old and I’m a Division I assistant coach at one of the best mid-major programs in college basketball,” Lauf said. “There’s a ton of people that would love this job. I’m very thankful and grateful that I’m in this position.”
First Published May 4, 2022, 3:47 p.m.
