Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - After wrapping up the 2022 football season at 8 and 5, KGVO News caught up with University of Montana head football Coach Bobby Hauck on what happens after the last whistle blows in the last game of the season.

Hauck first expressed pride in the 2022 team and the fun he had coaching this group of Grizzly players.

'I had More Fun this Year than any other Year I've Coached'

“You know, I've been doing this a long time,” began Coach Hauck. “I had more fun this last year than maybe any other year I’ve coached. It was terrific, with just a great group of young men to be around every day and a great group of coaches. And, you know, for me personally, I just had a blast with this team. Now we're getting into the new year and it's time to start with the next edition.”

Coach Hauck acknowledged the fact that the nature of college football is changing, and that players come and go every few years.

“In college football, there's always attrition,” he said. “That's the way it goes. Frankly, college football is a mess right now in terms of that around the country. We're pretty stable here, which I think is a really good thing. But there are always holes in the roster. That's the nature of college football, and even more so in this day and age. So, we’ll develop players; we’ll recruit players; we’ll practice and lift weights again in 2023. What you're trying to do is put a team on the field in August that is as complete as you can make it.”

Hauck on 'Name Image and Likeness' and the Transfer Portal

Hauck also expressed his frustration about the new world of college football.

“In this day and age we have ‘name image and likeness’; we’re paying guys,” he said. There’s willy nilly transfers without penalty and it's wild right now. So it's hard to say what you do to recruit guys. You just do your best to get them on the roster and hopefully have more than one season. And, here's how kids say no these days. People are paying them more than we are, and that's what it is. There's nothing more to it. We have the greatest college town in America in my opinion. We have great facilities. We have a lot of great things here, but we're getting outbid.”

Finally, Coach Hauck had a lot to say about his son Robby, who recently became the greatest tackler in Big Sky Conference history before he graduated with multiple degrees from UM.

A Proud Father and his Accomplished Son

“You know, five minutes before you called, I got a notification that he's an Academic All American for the third time, so he takes after his mother there, which is a great thing,” he said. “He's trying to figure it out Peter, you know, he's got some great degrees out of UM. He's got some options in terms of what course he wants to choose and what path he goes on. But he's kind of expressed an interest in coaching. Some have expressed an interest in him playing further, but I'm not sure if that's in the cards for him. He knows he's a little guy. But he, I think if I had to lay odds on it, I think he's Robbie's probably going to end up coaching somewhere.”

The Montana Grizzlies 2023 schedule is set. Click here for details.

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