Bobby Kennedy Named New Montana Football Coach

Veteran assistant coach takes over Grizzlies program after Bobby Hauck's retirement

Feb. 5, 2026 at 8:39pm

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The University of Montana has officially named Bobby Kennedy as the 38th head football coach of the Montana Grizzlies. Kennedy, a longtime college assistant coach, takes over the program after the surprising retirement of previous head coach Bobby Hauck. Kennedy expressed excitement about the opportunity to lead the Grizzlies and detailed his vision for the program, including goals of winning conference championships and a national title.

Why it matters

The hiring of Kennedy represents a significant transition for the Montana football program, as he takes over for the highly successful Hauck, who led the Grizzlies for over a decade. Kennedy's appointment will shape the future direction of the team and is a key moment for the university and its passionate fan base.

The details

Kennedy, who has over 30 years of college coaching experience, spent the 2025 season as the wide receivers coach at Montana. He said he had previously turned down opportunities to be a head coach, but felt the timing was right to take over the Grizzlies program. In his introductory press conference, Kennedy emphasized his desire to recruit in-state talent, retain current players, and build a staff to chase a FCS national championship.

  • On February 6, 2026, Bobby Kennedy was officially introduced as the 38th head football coach of the University of Montana.
  • On February 9, 2026, the new transfer portal window will open for Montana players.

The players

Bobby Kennedy

The new head football coach of the University of Montana Grizzlies, with over 30 years of college coaching experience, primarily as a position coach.

Kent Haslam

The athletic director at the University of Montana, who introduced Kennedy as the new head football coach.

Bobby Hauck

The previous head football coach of the University of Montana Grizzlies, who recently retired from the position.

Brent Myers

The new offensive line coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies, previously a long-time coach at Weber State.

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What they’re saying

“Our goal is to win conference championships, our goal is to graduate student-athletes, our goal for this football program is to win a national championship and I do not think that that is outrageous.”

— Kent Haslam, University of Montana Athletic Director

“This is going to be my last job. Whether it's long, let's make it be long, ok?”

— Bobby Kennedy

“The landscape of college football right now, it's not for me to judge whether it's right or wrong, it's the system that we have and we're going to work within those boundaries.”

— Bobby Kennedy

What’s next

In the coming weeks, Kennedy will focus on retaining current Montana players as the new transfer portal window opens on February 9th. He will also work to finalize his coaching staff, including the formal introduction of Brent Myers as the new offensive line coach, before turning his attention to winter conditioning and preparing the team for spring practice.

The takeaway

The hiring of Bobby Kennedy as the new head football coach of the University of Montana represents a significant transition for the Grizzlies program. Kennedy, an experienced assistant coach, inherits a talented roster and a passionate fan base as he looks to build on the success of his predecessor, Bobby Hauck, and lead Montana to conference championships and a potential FCS national title.