Illinois Hires Montana’s Bobby Hauck as Defensive Coordinator
Illinois has announced the hiring of Bobby Hauck, the recently retired head coach of Montana, as its new defensive coordinator. The move, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, brings a wealth of experience and an aggressive defensive philosophy to Bret Bielema’s program.
Hauck concluded a remarkable 15-season tenure at Montana with a career record of 151-43 across two stints (2003-2009 and 2018-2025). He also served as head coach at UNLV from 2010-2014, posting a 15-49 record. Despite never securing an FCS national championship – falling short in four title game appearances – Hauck established himself as a dominant force in the Big Sky Conference, leading the Grizzlies to eight conference titles and earning Big Sky Coach of the Year honors four times. He was also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award in both 2003 and 2009.
In recent seasons, Hauck’s defenses at Montana consistently ranked among the nation’s best, appearing in the top 20 in scoring defense three times over the last five years. They also excelled at generating turnovers, finishing in the top 10 nationally in that category in three of the past five seasons.
Hauck’s decision to step down from his role at Montana stemmed from his evolving perspective on the modern college football landscape. He stated that “dealing with what college football has become is not always enjoyable as a head coach.”
A 3-3-5 Scheme Rooted in Aggression
Hauck will implement a 3-3-5 defensive scheme – utilizing three down linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs – a system he developed under the tutelage of Rocky Long at San Diego State. This scheme is characterized by its aggressive nature, frequent blitzing, and emphasis on speed and athleticism over sheer size. It aims to create pre-snap deception and consistently challenge opposing offenses.
The scheme’s consistent use of five defensive backs, including a versatile hybrid safety/linebacker, is expected to complement the strengths of Illinois’s standout defensive backs, Matthew Bailey and Xavier Scott. A key component of the system is its frequent use of man-to-man coverage.
Statements from Hauck and Bielema
Hauck expressed his enthusiasm for joining the Illinois program, stating, “I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Illinois football program. Coach Bielema is one of the great head coaches in all of football and I am extremely excited to work for him and the student-athletes and staff here at the University of Illinois. I have a great feeling about the players, the coaches, and the future of this program. I will miss Montana dearly because of the relationships and the passion I have for the football program. I hope to bring some of that to the Illini. I can’t wait to get started.”
Bielema echoed Hauck’s sentiments, saying, “I am excited to welcome Coach Hauck and his family to our Illini FamILLy. Since meeting Coach Hauck early on in my head coaching career, I have had tremendous respect for who he is, what he stands for, and the program he has built. He is a family man with incredible attention to detail and a great ability to teach the game to both his staffs and players. Coach Hauck’s aggressive defensive scheme, which he learned at San Diego State and developed at Montana, will be an exciting new style that has never been seen here at Illinois.”
The addition of Hauck represents a significant shift in defensive strategy for the Illini, as Bielema looks to inject new energy and unpredictability into his team’s approach on that side of the ball. The success of this transition will likely hinge on how quickly Hauck’s players adapt to the intricacies of the 3-3-5 scheme and embrace its aggressive, attacking philosophy.
