Illinois hires former Montana coach Bobby Hauck as DC

Illinois hired Bobby Hauck as its new defensive coordinator Monday, ending his brief retirement.

Hauck, 61, comes to Champaign after guiding Montana to six FCS playoff appearances in the past eight seasons and a semifinal appearance in 2025. Last week, he retired, citing a changing sport that had become less appealing as a head coach.

“I just haven’t been enjoying it enough,” said Hauck, who went 151-43 in two stints at Montana, winning eight Big Sky championships and reaching the national title game three times. “I want to enjoy my career and my job. A lot of the head coach stuff in current day, Division I college football is not enjoyable.”

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Illinois hired Hauck to replace Aaron Henry, who recently left to become Notre Dame’s defensive backs coach and defensive passing game coordinator. Hauck last coached in the FBS with San Diego State from 2015 to 2017 as special teams coordinator.

He led UNLV from 2010 to 2014, going 15-49.

Hauck will be a first-time defensive coordinator at Illinois, but he coached different position groups as an assistant for Rick Neuheisel at Colorado and Washington earlier in his career. Illinois coach Bret Bielema described Hauck’s scheme as “an exciting new style that has never been seen here at Illinois.”

“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,” Hauck said in a statement. “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.”