Bobby Hauck: Recruiting to Save Lives
3/13/2024 12:26:00 PM | Football
Editor's Note: This story was originally published in the event program for the 87th Annual Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 8, 2024. Grizzly head coach Bobby Hauck was honored at the gala as this year's recipient of the "Get in the Game Impact Award." Story republished here with permission from the Maxwell Football Club.
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Written by RICH CIRMINIELLO
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Bobby Hauck was born and raised in Montana. He's lived more than half of his nearly six decades in the "The Treasure State". He is a native son, with the toughness, work ethic and pioneering sense of independence so deeply embedded in Montanans. And when the Montana Grizzlies head coach commits to doing something, on or off the field, he's going to go all in with the same drive and determination that have been the cornerstones of his successful career.
So, when Hauck joined the fight against life-threatening blood cancers shortly after returning to the Griz in 2018, it was no surprise that his impact was both immediate and profound.
Hauck was born in Missoula and spent his formative years in Big Timber, a small town of spectacular outdoor beauty with the Crazy Mountains serving as a breathtaking backdrop. It was here where Hauck's values and love of sports were first forged as a member of one of the state's preeminent football families. His brother, Tim, was a safety in the NFL for more than 10 years and won a Super Bowl as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles. His dad, Bob, was a longtime high school football coach as well as a member of the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame.
While Bobby was a three-sport star in high school and twice lettered in track at the University of Montana, he'd ultimately follow in the path his father carved as a football coach.
Shortly after graduation, Hauck was named a defensive assistant at his alma mater, his first of three stints with the Grizzlies. It was the beginning of a journey that would include stops at UCLA, Northern Arizona, Colorado, and Washington, three of the four working alongside longtime coach and media analyst Rick Neuheisel.
After the 2002 season with the Huskies, Hauck got his first big coaching break. Joe Glenn left for a job at Wyoming, creating an opportunity for Hauck to return to Missoula, this time as the head coach. He proudly led the Grizzlies for seven seasons, winning seven Big Sky championships and finishing runner-up for the FCS National Championship three times.
Hauck emerged as a hot commodity in coaching circles. So, like Glenn before him he was lured to the Mountain West with an opportunity to lead UNLV. No one worked harder than Hauck to turn things around in Las Vegas, but the results didn't match the effort and by the end of 2014 the coach was starting over again.
For three seasons, Hauck coached special teams on Rocky Long's San Diego State staff. He was working hard and waiting patiently for a chance to be the guy again. Meanwhile, up in Missoula, Montana was mired in a rut by the end of 2017. Just one conference title since Hauck left and consecutive seasons without a playoff berth. Plus, back-to-back losses to Montana State had the administration looking for a reset. There was no one better than Hauck to right the ship, so he accepted an offer to return home, and he has been at Montana ever since.
In total, Hauck has been the Grizzlies head coach for 13 remarkable seasons. In that time, he's gone 129-36, with eight Big Sky titles. This past year, Montana was officially back. Picked in the preseason to finish sixth by coaches and third by the media, the school captured its first league crown in 12 years and made its first national championship appearance since 2009. And with a win over Sacramento State in early November, Hauck became the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history.
Hauck has won plenty in Missoula. He has shaped a storied program in his own image – tough, disciplined, structured, and accountable. He IS Montana football. But for all of the winning Hauck has done on the field, it could be argued that some of his biggest victories have come outside of Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
For the past six years, Hauck has galvanized the University of Montana student body to save lives. Literally save the lives of people diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers by participating in the National Marrow Donor Program's (NMDP) "Be the Match" registry, which finds potential donors and connects them with patients in need.
Montana football has held a donor registration drive on the school campus in each non-Covid impacted year since Hauck's return to Missoula. Over that time the Grizzlies have helped register more than 800 members of the UM campus community for the registry, soaring past the team's goal of 70 new signups each time. Even better, the University has five donors so far and one scheduled just a few days ago on Feb. 29.
And with all due respect to what happens Saturdays in the fall, even at football-loving Montana, this victory is far more impactful than anything that ever occurs on the gridiron.
"I met Coach Talley at the 2009 National Championship Game," said Hauck. "After he retired and started getting college teams involved in his Foundation, we talked and it seemed like a natural fit for me and our kids. College players are inherently giving, especially when there's a chance to save a life. But let's give credit where credit is due. Andy and his team make it easy to participate, and we're just so grateful for how they run their organization."
For his efforts, passion and dedication to the cause, Hauck has been selected as the winner of the 2023 Get in the Game Impact Award presented by the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation, which leverages the massive power of college athletics to recruit donors. The award honors the person or persons who go above and beyond to help save lives through their involvement with the NMDP Get in the Game program.
"Bobby is giving patients around the world hope for a cure," said Talley, the former Villanova head coach and founder of the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation. "His efforts, alongside those of his staff and his players, have directly resulted in five blood stem cell donations, giving five individuals with blood cancer a second chance at life. How great is that? Bobby is a first-class coach, but he is a better man. He leads by example and is teaching his players firsthand that life is bigger than the game of football. He is a hero and a lifesaver."
Montana is among the growing list of college football programs to actively recruit blood stem cell donors. The math here is straightforward. The more people added to the registry, the more likely it is for someone in need to find the match that ultimately saves their life.
Hauck? Well, he's a special kind of leader and recruiter who's not satisfied with his influence being limited to a single campus. So, consistent with his desire to keep raising the bar, he's making sure his voice carries well beyond Missoula.
"The impact of Coach Hauck's passionate support of the NMDP Get in the Game program is immeasurable," stated Krista Ross, Manager, Athletic Programs and Partnerships of the NMDP. "As a member of our Coaches Council, Coach Hauck has assisted us with program expansion by recruiting new coaches to join our mission. He's a spokesperson for us within the Big Sky Conference, as well as the American Football Coaches Association. We know 2024 is going to be our most successful yet with Coach Hauck as part of our team."
The Get in the Game program now boasts more than 155,000 registrants, and counting, and over 1,000 donors … and counting. By increasing awareness, with college athletics as the vehicle, a simple cheek swab can be more powerful than any pancake block or game-winning TD pass.
Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Each year, tens of thousands of patients need transplants. The chance of matching with a family member is only 30%, leaving most patients to rely on an anonymous donor from a registry. Thanks to the enduring leadership and outreach of Hauck, the registry keeps growing and will continue to do so in the future.
Rich Cirminiello is the Vice President of College Awards for the Maxwell Football Club, and someone who enjoys telling each award winner's unique story.
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Written by RICH CIRMINIELLO
###
Bobby Hauck was born and raised in Montana. He's lived more than half of his nearly six decades in the "The Treasure State". He is a native son, with the toughness, work ethic and pioneering sense of independence so deeply embedded in Montanans. And when the Montana Grizzlies head coach commits to doing something, on or off the field, he's going to go all in with the same drive and determination that have been the cornerstones of his successful career.
So, when Hauck joined the fight against life-threatening blood cancers shortly after returning to the Griz in 2018, it was no surprise that his impact was both immediate and profound.
Hauck was born in Missoula and spent his formative years in Big Timber, a small town of spectacular outdoor beauty with the Crazy Mountains serving as a breathtaking backdrop. It was here where Hauck's values and love of sports were first forged as a member of one of the state's preeminent football families. His brother, Tim, was a safety in the NFL for more than 10 years and won a Super Bowl as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Eagles. His dad, Bob, was a longtime high school football coach as well as a member of the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame.
While Bobby was a three-sport star in high school and twice lettered in track at the University of Montana, he'd ultimately follow in the path his father carved as a football coach.
Shortly after graduation, Hauck was named a defensive assistant at his alma mater, his first of three stints with the Grizzlies. It was the beginning of a journey that would include stops at UCLA, Northern Arizona, Colorado, and Washington, three of the four working alongside longtime coach and media analyst Rick Neuheisel.
After the 2002 season with the Huskies, Hauck got his first big coaching break. Joe Glenn left for a job at Wyoming, creating an opportunity for Hauck to return to Missoula, this time as the head coach. He proudly led the Grizzlies for seven seasons, winning seven Big Sky championships and finishing runner-up for the FCS National Championship three times.Hauck emerged as a hot commodity in coaching circles. So, like Glenn before him he was lured to the Mountain West with an opportunity to lead UNLV. No one worked harder than Hauck to turn things around in Las Vegas, but the results didn't match the effort and by the end of 2014 the coach was starting over again.
For three seasons, Hauck coached special teams on Rocky Long's San Diego State staff. He was working hard and waiting patiently for a chance to be the guy again. Meanwhile, up in Missoula, Montana was mired in a rut by the end of 2017. Just one conference title since Hauck left and consecutive seasons without a playoff berth. Plus, back-to-back losses to Montana State had the administration looking for a reset. There was no one better than Hauck to right the ship, so he accepted an offer to return home, and he has been at Montana ever since.
In total, Hauck has been the Grizzlies head coach for 13 remarkable seasons. In that time, he's gone 129-36, with eight Big Sky titles. This past year, Montana was officially back. Picked in the preseason to finish sixth by coaches and third by the media, the school captured its first league crown in 12 years and made its first national championship appearance since 2009. And with a win over Sacramento State in early November, Hauck became the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history.
Hauck has won plenty in Missoula. He has shaped a storied program in his own image – tough, disciplined, structured, and accountable. He IS Montana football. But for all of the winning Hauck has done on the field, it could be argued that some of his biggest victories have come outside of Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
For the past six years, Hauck has galvanized the University of Montana student body to save lives. Literally save the lives of people diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers by participating in the National Marrow Donor Program's (NMDP) "Be the Match" registry, which finds potential donors and connects them with patients in need.
Montana football has held a donor registration drive on the school campus in each non-Covid impacted year since Hauck's return to Missoula. Over that time the Grizzlies have helped register more than 800 members of the UM campus community for the registry, soaring past the team's goal of 70 new signups each time. Even better, the University has five donors so far and one scheduled just a few days ago on Feb. 29.And with all due respect to what happens Saturdays in the fall, even at football-loving Montana, this victory is far more impactful than anything that ever occurs on the gridiron.
"I met Coach Talley at the 2009 National Championship Game," said Hauck. "After he retired and started getting college teams involved in his Foundation, we talked and it seemed like a natural fit for me and our kids. College players are inherently giving, especially when there's a chance to save a life. But let's give credit where credit is due. Andy and his team make it easy to participate, and we're just so grateful for how they run their organization."
For his efforts, passion and dedication to the cause, Hauck has been selected as the winner of the 2023 Get in the Game Impact Award presented by the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation, which leverages the massive power of college athletics to recruit donors. The award honors the person or persons who go above and beyond to help save lives through their involvement with the NMDP Get in the Game program.
"Bobby is giving patients around the world hope for a cure," said Talley, the former Villanova head coach and founder of the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation. "His efforts, alongside those of his staff and his players, have directly resulted in five blood stem cell donations, giving five individuals with blood cancer a second chance at life. How great is that? Bobby is a first-class coach, but he is a better man. He leads by example and is teaching his players firsthand that life is bigger than the game of football. He is a hero and a lifesaver."
Montana is among the growing list of college football programs to actively recruit blood stem cell donors. The math here is straightforward. The more people added to the registry, the more likely it is for someone in need to find the match that ultimately saves their life.
Hauck? Well, he's a special kind of leader and recruiter who's not satisfied with his influence being limited to a single campus. So, consistent with his desire to keep raising the bar, he's making sure his voice carries well beyond Missoula.
"The impact of Coach Hauck's passionate support of the NMDP Get in the Game program is immeasurable," stated Krista Ross, Manager, Athletic Programs and Partnerships of the NMDP. "As a member of our Coaches Council, Coach Hauck has assisted us with program expansion by recruiting new coaches to join our mission. He's a spokesperson for us within the Big Sky Conference, as well as the American Football Coaches Association. We know 2024 is going to be our most successful yet with Coach Hauck as part of our team."The Get in the Game program now boasts more than 155,000 registrants, and counting, and over 1,000 donors … and counting. By increasing awareness, with college athletics as the vehicle, a simple cheek swab can be more powerful than any pancake block or game-winning TD pass.
Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer. Each year, tens of thousands of patients need transplants. The chance of matching with a family member is only 30%, leaving most patients to rely on an anonymous donor from a registry. Thanks to the enduring leadership and outreach of Hauck, the registry keeps growing and will continue to do so in the future.
Rich Cirminiello is the Vice President of College Awards for the Maxwell Football Club, and someone who enjoys telling each award winner's unique story.
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