Lauterbur struggled his first four seasons at Toledo, compiling an 11–27–1 record from 1963 to 1966. But he eventually turned the program around, going 9–1 in 1967 and winning the first Mid-American Conference title in school history. He then led Toledo to consecutive undefeated seasons in 1969 and 1970. Toledo was riding a 23-game winning streak and had won consecutive Tangerine Bowls at the end of the 1970 season. Lauterbur had led Toledo to a 37–5–1 record in his final four years, including three conference titles, two bowl victories, and a number 14 ranking in the final AP Poll in 1970. All these accomplishments caught the eye of Bump Elliott, the athletic director of the University of Iowa.