MISSOULA — Last Thursday, the University of Montana announced that head football coach Bobby Hauck would be sticking around as he signed a new three-year contract to lead the Montana Grizzlies program.
It's a new contract Hauck agreed to that will keep him leading the Griz football team after they recently made a run to the FCS national championship game back in January in Frisco, Texas.
MTN Sports obtained a copy of Hauck's new contract on Thursday, and most notably, Hauck saw his base salary increase from $221,813 to $265,000 in this new deal, which went into effect on Jan. 1. His new deal expires on Jan. 31, 2027.
Hauck signed the contract on Jan. 19, while UM athletic director Kent Haslam signed it Jan. 22. UM legal counsel Lucy France signed it Jan. 23, UM president Seth Bodnar signed it Jan. 24 and commissioner Clay Christian signed it Jan. 25.
Hauck's base salary can be increased during his tenure at the discretion of the university, according to the contract.
Hauck will also receive a retention bonus should he stay with the University of Montana and not leave. He's scheduled to receive payments of $50,000 should he be employed by UM on April 1, 2024, as well as the same date in 2025 and 2026.
Other incentives in the contract include:
- In each academic year, should the team achieve a GPA between 2.85-2.99, Hauck receives $4,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $500. Should the GPA be 3.00-3.09, Hauck receives $7,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $1,200. Should the GPA be between 3.10-3.19, Hauck receives $8,500 and 10 assistant coaches receive $2,200. Should the GPA be between 3.20 or higher, Hauck receives $10,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $2,500.
- If the program maintains a four-year average academic progress rate score of at least 950 as determined by the yearly NCAA APR report, Hauck receives $8,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $1,100.
- If the program maintains a graduation success rate each year that is equal to or higher than the overall FCS rate for that same year as determined by the yearly NCAA federal graduation rate, Hauck will receive $8,500 and 10 assistant coaches will receive $1,100.
- If the most current APR report shows no "0-for-2" football student-athletes, Hauck receives $3,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $500.
- If the season attendance based on season tickets sold is 17,500, Hauck receives $5,000. If it reaches 18,000, Hauck receives $15,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $500. If it reaches 18,500 or 19,000, Hauck receives $20,000 and 10 assistant coaches receive $500. Payment is cumulative, and does not include comp tickets.
- Should he attend all "reasonably requested" UM athletics and GSA functions, Hauck will receive $40,000.
- If he wins the Big Sky Conference coach or co-coach of the year, he'll receive $5,000.
- If he wins the Eddie Robinson coach or co-coach of the year, he'll receive $5,000.
- If they play one or more FBS teams during the non-conference season, Hauck will receive $75,000, 10 assistant coaches will receive $2,500 and one strength and conditioning coach will receive $2,500. As of now, Montana does not have a FBS opponent scheduled in 2024, 2025 or 2026, which run under the length of the new contract.
- If Montana plays seven or more regular-season home games, Hauck receives $50,000, 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach all receive $1,000.
- If Montana defeats one or more FCS team during the non-conference season that has been a qualifier in the FCS playoffs within the past two years, Hauck receives $5,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach all receive $1,000. Montana does play North Dakota this coming fall, a team that made the FCS playoffs in 2022 and 2023.
- If Montana defeats one or more FCS team during the regular season that is ranked in the FCS Top 25 in the AFCA or STATS poll at the time of the game, Hauck receives $2,500 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach will all receive $250.
- If UM wins nine games during the regular season and postseason, Hauck will receive $8,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach all receive $750. Should they reach 10 wins, Hauck receives $11,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $2,200. Payment is not cumulative.
- If the Griz win the Big Sky Conference regular-season championship or are co-champs, Hauck receives $12,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $2,700.
- If the Griz make the playoffs, Hauck receives $5,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $1,000.
- If UM gets to the second round of the playoffs (whether by a first-round win or a bye), Hauck receives $3,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $1,300. If the second-round game is hosted in Missoula, Hauck receives an additional $1,000 while the others receive an additional $200.
- If they advance to the quarterfinal round of the playoffs, Hauck receives $5,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $1,300. Should they host the game, Hauck receives an additional $5,000 while the others receive and additional $750.
- If they advance to the semifinal round of the FCS playoffs, Hauck receives $6,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach receive $1,500. Should the Griz host the game, Hauck receives an additional $7,000 while the others receive an additional $2,000.
- If Montana advances to the national championship game, Hauck receives $15,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach all receive $1,500.
- Should the Grizzlies win the national championship, Hauck will receive $75,000 while 10 assistant coaches and one strength and conditioning coach will all receive $6,000.
Should Hauck leave UM for any reason other than "by reason of retirement, death, disability or incapacity," UM will receive as liquidated damages an "amount equal to Coach's Base Salary at the time of the termination, multiplied by the number of years remaining under this Contract and/or extension at the time of termination. In the case of partial years, the amount will be pro-rated by the number of months left in the partial year."
Since coming back to Montana in 2018 in his second stint leading the program, Hauck is 49-19. He's 129-36 overall in his time with the Grizzlies. This past season, he became the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history, led UM to a 13-2 record and a return trip to the FCS title game for the first time since 2009 where they ultimately fell to South Dakota State.
Hauck was named the Big Sky coach of the year in 2023, the fourth time he's won that award. He was named the AFCA Region 5 coach of the year for the third time and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson FCS coach of the year.
