Bobby Hauck’s mission was to win soccer video games – and shield the Griz defend

BILLINGS — As Bobby Hauck completed packing his workplace on the Adams Center in Missoula on Friday, he put away the sport ball that was offered to him after his first victory as head soccer coach at Montana: a 30-20 win on the highway over Maine within the 2003 season opener.

The ball was given to Hauck by offensive lineman Dylan McFarland and defensive finish Tim Bush as a souvenir. No one knew it on the time, however 150 extra Griz wins would comply with underneath Hauck’s route over the course of 15 years and two separate stops in Missoula.

It’s a run which will by no means be duplicated at Montana.

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That’s why his resolution to retire from the pinnacle teaching job at UM — introduced final Wednesday to a lot shock and shock across the state — got here with a way of gloom. But it additionally served as emancipation for a proud and decided man who has grown more and more disgruntled by what faculty soccer has morphed into.

“Growing up where I did, going to school where I did, starting my coaching career where I did, I got to live a dream,” Hauck, 61, advised MTN Sports throughout a telephone dialog late final week. “But you’ve got to have the balls to make these big decisions when the time is right.

“I used to be sitting in my workplace with my brother (Tim) this morning, packing some footage up, and he goes, ‘Tear in your eye or not?’ I’m going, ‘Yeah, 80% depressed, tear in my eye. But I’ve received 20% that appears like I simply received paroled and I’m getting out of my cell.’ I really like this place, love this program, love Griz soccer, love Griz Nation … however a part of it’s I’ve received to do my very own factor.

“I’ve given the better part of two decades of my life to this program, and for that I’m grateful.”

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The purpose Hauck gave for stepping down was easy: The job wasn’t gratifying anymore — not with wide-open switch guidelines and a scarcity of guardrails round athletes’ skill to rake in untold sums of cash from identify, picture and likeness offers.

The gamers are, in essence, working the present now. And that does not sit effectively for a coach who must be planted firmly within the driver’s seat.

But even Hauck’s distaste for the present local weather could not quell the on-field success. In his second stint as coach from 2018-25, when the principles in faculty soccer have been quickly loosened, the Griz made the playoffs six instances, went to the semifinals twice and returned to the FCS nationwide championship sport in 2023.

“And you know,” he stated, “we were probably two plays away from winning it all this year.”

Rising to dominance

Hauck, who was born in Missoula and grew up in Big Timber, was most likely a darkhorse candidate to turn out to be Montana’s head coach when he sought the job as a particular groups coordinator at Washington when Joe Glenn departed on the conclusion of the 2002 season.

But by all accounts he crushed the interview course of and made himself the clear selection for then-athletic director Wayne Hogan and the choice makers.

Hauck was in the end employed over Brian Kelly, who had simply received a Division II nationwide title at Grand Valley State.

Slim Kimmel / MTN Sports

Of venture by Hogan on the time? Maybe. But Hauck’s organizational expertise and his ardour and imaginative and prescient for Griz soccer was pivotal to him incomes that belief and assist. And it proved to be a clever resolution. In Hauck’s first tenure from 2003-09, Montana went 80-17 total and 47-6 within the Big Sky Conference, received seven straight league titles and appeared in three nationwide championship video games.

Between 2006 and 2009 — the four-year stretch earlier than Hauck left to take over this system at UNLV — he guided Montana to a 51-6 document and misplaced only one Big Sky sport. One.

His ultimate total document at Montana was 151-43, a profitable share of .778. His groups made title-game appearances in 2004, 2008, 2009 and once more in 2023.

Some video games stand out greater than others, for quite a lot of causes.

“The one that really broke my heart is I think our best team — and I’m not the official historian of Griz football — the 2007 team that got upset (by Wofford in the playoffs) ranked No. 1 in the nation,” Hauck supplied. “In my estimation that was our best team, and maybe the best team in Grizzly history.”

Only one factor is lacking from Hauck’s Griz résumé: a nationwide championship. He had 4 tries to get it achieved. And that may sting much more now contemplating Montana State — “the neighbors,” as Hauck would say — received the title just a little over a month in the past in Nashville, Tenn., after beating the Grizzlies twice in lower than a month, together with a 48-23 semifinal win within the first playoff assembly between the bitter rivals.

Greg Rachac / MTN Sports

An interception return for a landing by Caden Dowler within the regular-season matchup in Missoula helped safe a 31-28 MSU victory, giving the Cats home-field benefit within the playoffs. It was an 87-yard landing catch by twin brother Taco Dowler on a third-and-long play within the fourth quarter that helped seal the semifinal 28 days later.

Those are the 2 performs Hauck talked about that saved an in any other case 13-win Griz staff from a shot on the title in 2025. If not for that? He would possibly very effectively be driving off within the sundown with the championship he by no means did seize.

“Got there four times and could never win it,” he stated matter-of-factly. “That’s bothersome. But I also have the perspective that we had great, great football teams. And the difference between winning and losing sometimes is a play or two. It’s something that sticks with you, but I’m not a real regrets guy.

“I’d have appreciated to win all of them, however we did not.”

A misunderstood coach?

The on-field success was dizzying. But was it at all times vivid and rose-colored for Hauck? No.

There have been critical off-the-field participant incidents and allegations that mirrored poorly on this system and the college throughout his first seven years, which Hauck acknowledged and owned as much as upon his return in late 2017. There have been additionally his quarrels with the media that at instances portrayed him as abrasive and painted him in some circles as a villain.

The most public of these battles was Hauck’s 2009 tiff with The Kaimin, the scholar newspaper at Montana, over its reporting of sure off-field allegations. The confrontation, such because it was, went viral and drew protection from nationwide retailers.

And then there have been his terse solutions to media questions that resulted in sometimes-laughably brief press conferences, which left a lot to be desired by way of buying respectable details about the soccer staff. But that was simply Hauck’s method.

Tom Wylie / MTN Sports

Asked if he thought he was ever misunderstood in his position as head coach, Hauck replied:

“I don’t know. I never worried about that. It was never an area of concern for me. I know I was never misunderstood by my players or coaches. They all knew where we were going and what we were doing. They all knew that I loved them, so that’s what mattered to me. And to tell you the truth, the people that are around Grizzly football, they’re all my best friends. So beyond that, I don’t really give a damn. I think that’s been painfully obvious.”

He added: “Protecting the Griz shield … I’m a third-generation alum. My kids are fourth-generation alums. I love this university. I love being a Grizzly. So protecting that Griz shield was no different than a mama Grizzly protecting her cubs. That was the way I was going to be.

“And generally when I’m defending the defend, (a reporter) ain’t getting a solution. Because you simply weren’t getting one. You know, I used to be like, ‘Hey, you need to blame any person, level it at me, man.’ And I could not do it with out placing any person out on the road.”

Montana’s boosters and fans undoubtedly wanted Hauck to return as coach following the 2017 season, after he’d spent three years coaching special teams at San Diego State under Rocky Long. And they ultimately got their wish after previous coach Bob Stitt did not have his contract renewed. But it didn’t come without some push-back.

James Dobson / MTN Sports

Some group members opposed Hauck’s return. An on-line petition was even circulated to stop his rehiring. And make no mistake: Athletic director Kent Haslam did greater than his due diligence on campus and across the group to ensure the choice to circle again to Hauck as coach was sound.

Hauck’s second stint wasn’t fairly as profitable as his first by way of wins and losses, however it was seemingly a close to spotless operation when it got here to participant conduct and their illustration of the University of Montana. And it meant every thing to Hauck to attempt to depart it higher than he discovered it in the long run.

He would not appear eager wanting again and questioning if he ought to have achieved issues any in another way.

“You can’t have paralysis through analysis,” Hauck stated. “You’re going to make decisions and you’re going to get criticized for them, and you’re not going to either have the time or the ability to defend yourself. So you have to accept those things when you’re in leadership role. If you can’t, you shouldn’t be in one. And that’s everything when it comes to being a college head football coach.”

Hauck and the Bobcats

If you are the pinnacle soccer coach at Montana, a serious a part of your legacy is the way you fare in opposition to Montana State.

When Hauck first began, Mike Kramer was MSU’s coach. Kramer welcomed Hauck to the rivalry by handing him a 27-20 loss of their first matchup in November 2003 on a frigid day in Bozeman. But Hauck went 2-2 total in opposition to Kramer, after which beat Kramer’s alternative, Rob Ash, in all three tries from 2007-09.

The second time round wasn’t as fruitful. After he returned, Hauck received simply twice in eight video games in opposition to the Bobcats. That included some troublesome moments for the Grizzlies — particularly a goal-line fumble getting in for the profitable factors within the ultimate seconds in 2018 and the 2 losses this previous season. He by no means beat Jeff Choate. He had his struggles in opposition to Brent Vigen.

Hauck lived by way of some particular highs within the rivalry but additionally some crushing lows. In the tip, he completed sub-.500 in opposition to MSU with a 7-8 document.

“We lost twice in a (month) span this year. That was pretty low,” he affirmed.

James Dobson / For MTN Sports

Hauck, a lot to his personal liking, grew to become the right dangerous man to which MSU followers may focus their animosity, whether or not it was resulting from his refusal to have his staff keep in lodges wherever inside Bozeman correct, his reluctance to uttering the phrases “Montana State” or “Bobcats” — once more, “the neighbors” was the popular parlance — or his skill to usually beat them with swagger within the early years when the Griz have been making championship-game runs.

But there’s a sense that Hauck revered the MSU program and the coaches and gamers he and his staff competed in opposition to. And he undoubtedly revered the rivalry. That feeling appears mutual in hindsight.

“I bet I heard from 20 former Bobcat players that are close friends of mine” after his retirement announcement, Hauck stated. “It’s always been about the competition, trying to beat their ass, them trying to beat our ass. But it was never something to lose friends over.

“I’ll always remember when Mike Kramer received let go (within the spring of 2007). Don’t be shocked right here, however I used to be the primary man he heard from. And I’ve been in contact with (Vigen) the previous few days. He’s like, ‘The rivalry makes us so bizarre. Now we might be higher mates.’ That’s nice. He’s an amazing coach, an amazing man. And I’ve appreciated all these guys over time. All of them.”

What the longer term would possibly maintain

What’s subsequent for Hauck? It must be famous that he’s retiring from head teaching, not essentially teaching altogether. And Hauck stated his telephone has been ringing.

If he does re-emerge on a soccer sideline, it’ll seemingly be in a job the place he can give attention to his forte — particular groups — without having to take care of the ins and outs of the switch portal and NIL.

“I’m not a great sit-around guy, so I’ve got to do something,” he stated. “If it’s football, I think I can provide value to somebody, whether that’s the Sweet Grass County High School Fighting Sheepherders or the New York Jets, I can provide some value.”

James Dobson / MTN Sports

During this interview, Hauck was driving to a spot of solitude: the Bitterroot River to do some fly fishing together with his brother Tim. It’s a ardour of Hauck’s, somewhat famously. And his Montana roots introduced that out of him.

But soccer has been his devotion. And that is troublesome to shake.

“I don’t know where in that spectrum that sits. I’ve had a few calls on doing some other things that are more in the business world and in the world of consulting,” he stated. “I’ve got some things there that I might do. But, you know, I like football. I know football. I like what football’s all about. So I don’t know what I’m going to do. But I do know that it’s not going to be as a head coach.”

Been there, achieved that already. And from that first win at Maine in 2003 to the 150 extra Griz victories, eight Big Sky titles and 4 championship appearances that adopted, Hauck did issues on his personal phrases till he could not any longer.

But his love for the Griz will reside on.

“No one cares more about the University of Montana or Grizzly football than me,” Hauck stated. “Maybe some care equally, but no one outdoes me.”