Lou Kovacs was a bit skeptical when his son Jordan called from fall camp to tell him he was working on the second team defense for Michigan’s football team.

Privately Lou questioned whether his son was really second on Michigan’s depth chart. Perhaps Jordan was just naive and overstated his rank on the team, or maybe the coaching staff was just experimenting for a few practices. The only way for him to know for sure was if there was injury to a starter and Jordan inserted in his place.

On September 12, with the University of Michigan in a fierce battle during the second half with Notre Dame, Lou was watching the game from Michigan’s Big House. Like his son Jordan, Lou also was a walk on (1980-82) for the Wolverines, and then stayed on to be a graduate assistant. Even if Jordan wasn’t playing he would be at the football game. And no way an unknown freshman is going to play. Right?

Mike Williams, free safety, got cramps while on the field. He needed a rest, providing a moment of truth. So Lou stole a glance at Michigan’s sideline. He saw the defensive coaches giving his son Jordan instructions. He was going into the game.

That was the beginning of a heartwarming story.

The story actually began two years before when Jordan was a thriving senior for Clay High School. By all accounts he was outstanding and earned first team honors for the district team and City League.

Lou said, he was a very good ballplayer.

However, he was going to have to pay his way to college. A few schools from Division II and III pursued Jordan. Interest was expressed by University of Toledo but not enough interest for extending him a scholarship offer. If the University of Toledo or any other Division I programmed offered a scholarship to Jordan, he would definitely have accepted. It would have been a complete no brainer.

Jordan said, I am happy they didn’t. I am happy that I ended up at Michigan.

The feeling is mutual. Through the first seven games for Michigan, Kovacs (5’10″, 194 pounds) is the second ranked player for tackles with 45, including 17 tackles in their Michigan State loss, despite the fact that he didn’t start until the team’s fourth game versus Indiana.

Success stories for walk ons don’t usually start to materialize until the player has been with a team for four to five years. However, Kovacs has only been with Michigan since this spring. However, in many ways he has been a Wolverine for his whole life. He’s attended games with his father Lou, listened to his dad’s stories about appearing in the Rose Bowl and about Lou’s limited playing time. In 2005 Jordan was at the game when Michigan defeated Penn State for their only loss that year. Tomorrow No. 13 ranked Penn State (6-1, 2-1) will visit the Wolverines (5-2, 1-2).

Jordan said that he always believed he would play football for Michigan.

His dream was almost shattered when Jordan honestly answered a question. He was too honest.

After it became obvious that no Division I scholarships were going to be offered to Jordan, Lou made a video with highlights of Jordan and mailed the video to the Michigan coaching staff. Right away they were interested. Jordan was invited to a 2008 tryout at the start of the academic year. He sort of made the team. He was told to return the next day for what he thought was a background check, just a formality before being handed a locker combination and team jersey.

However during the interview Jordan made a fatal mistake. He revealed that his knee that had been surgically repaired the year before was not entirely healed. The coaching staff responded by saying no thanks.

Jordan said he realized he was digging himself into a hole.

Lou, a lawyer in the area and 1978 grad of Clay, said that his son was completely demoralized. He was as high as can be then in the pits the next day.

Jordan did have a plan though. He underwent an additional surgery. It was an operation of twenty minutes for fixing a meniscu tear. Then he planned on making the team during the next season. Jordan received inspiration by watching the movie Rudy. It was the same film he watched the night before trying out for the team the year before. Lou and Jordan were both confident that he would have a different fortune this time around. Jordan showed no lingering affects after the surgery and excelled during his tryout. He got an invitation to spring practice and realized his dream.

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan head coach, said I hope every year we have a story like Jordan Kovacs.’

Rodriguez was himself a walk on for West Virginia before he earned playing time in his second year due to a few guys leaving, getting hurt, moving over to other positions, and a player getting injured during the game.

The rise of Kovacs wasn’t nearly as dramatic. When he has had the chance, Jordan has outplayed Williams. In another obvious sign of him playing well, Jordan was moved over to strong safety prior to the Iowa game, allowing Troy Woolfolk to play cornerback.

His father Lou was nervous, just like everyone else attending the Notre Dame game and the Wolverine’s thrilling victory.

The cell phone for Lou died in the middle of the game from all the calls of congratulations he received. There were later apologies from Jordan’s friends who had tried to convince him that that best move for his career would be at University of Toledo. Stevie Brown, Wolverine linebacker, who kept confusing Kovacs with Matt Cavanaugh, freshman safety, was embracing him now.

Jordan admits he has been surprised at just how fast his career has taken off. He thought he was going to need to be patient and then finally earn a promotion maybe when he was a junior or senior.

I never thought it was not ever going to happen though, Jordan said.