Longtime Montana Football Coach Bobby Hauck Announces Sudden Retirement

Hauck cites changes in college football as reason for stepping down after 14 seasons with the Grizzlies

Feb. 5, 2026 at 1:47am

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Bobby Hauck, the winningest active FCS coach with a 151-43 record at the University of Montana, announced his sudden retirement on Wednesday. Hauck, who led the Grizzlies to 8 Big Sky championships and 4 national championship game appearances, said he no longer enjoys the "head coach stuff" in modern college football due to factors like player transfers and name, image and likeness rules.

Why it matters

Hauck's retirement is a significant shakeup for the Montana football program, which has been a consistent FCS powerhouse under his leadership over the past 14 seasons. His departure raises questions about the future direction of the team and the challenges facing longtime college coaches adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics.

The details

Hauck, 61, announced his retirement at a news conference, saying he no longer finds enjoyment in the "head coach stuff" of current-day Division I college football. He cited issues like dealing with player agents, the "transient nature" of the sport, and the "lack of forward thinking by young people" as factors contributing to his decision. Hauck will be succeeded by Bobby Kennedy, who served as Montana's receivers coach this past season after previous stints at major programs like Washington, Texas, and others.

  • Hauck announced his retirement on Wednesday, February 5, 2026.
  • Hauck had two stints totaling 14 years as the head coach of the Montana Grizzlies.
  • The 2025 Montana team that Hauck coached reached the FCS national semifinals, finishing the season 13-2.

The players

Bobby Hauck

The winningest active FCS coach with a 151-43 record as the head coach of the University of Montana Grizzlies, leading the team to 8 Big Sky championships and 4 national championship game appearances over 14 seasons.

Bobby Kennedy

The new head coach of the Montana Grizzlies, who previously served as the team's receivers coach in 2025 and has coaching experience at major programs like Washington, Texas, and others.

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What they’re saying

“I want to enjoy my career and my job, and a lot of the head coach stuff in current-day Division I college football is not enjoyable.”

— Bobby Hauck, Retiring Head Coach, University of Montana

“Dealing with agents and the transient nature of this and the lack of forward thinking by young people, which has never been a strong suit for centuries for young people. … But now when they've got adults pushing them and pulling them in different directions, I kind of got tired of that.”

— Bobby Hauck, Retiring Head Coach, University of Montana

What’s next

The University of Montana will hold a press conference on Monday, February 10th to introduce Bobby Kennedy as the new head coach of the Grizzlies football program.

The takeaway

Hauck's retirement after 14 successful seasons at Montana underscores the challenges facing long-tenured college football coaches in adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of modern college athletics, with factors like player transfers, name/image/likeness rights, and the influence of outside parties creating new stresses and frustrations for veteran leaders.