Feb. 18, 2016
SAN DIEGO - Bobby Hauck (pronounced HOWK), who guided San Diego State's football special teams to one of the top national unit ranking in the country during the 2015 season, has been promoted to associate head coach and special teams coordinator by head coach Rocky Long.
Hauck, who completed his first season on The Mesa, led San Diego State's special teams units to a ranking of No. 23 nationally, according to ESPN, after an average ranking of 79.3 the prior six seasons. Among the special teams' successes for the Aztecs in 2015 were the kickoff return unit, ranked second nationally, and the punt coverage unit, which ranked 27th in the nation.
Under Hauck's guidance, SDSU tallied four special teams touchdowns during the 2015 campaign, which ranked third nationally, behind only Tennessee and Alabama. Sophomore Rashaad Penny was second in the nation in kickoff return average (33.5) and kickoff return touchdowns (3) during the campaign. Penny's three kick return touchdowns also set a program record. He became the first Aztec in school history named conference special teams player of the year.
Earlier this month, Hauck was named the Scout 2016 Mountain West Recruiter of the Year.
Hauck joined the SDSU coaching staff in January 2015, after serving as a collegiate head coach the previous 12 years (95-66, .590), and serving as the coordinator of special teams in 21 of the previous 22 seasons.
Hauck spent five seasons at Mountain West foe UNLV, where he led the Rebels to the 2013 Heart of Dallas Bowl, the program's first bowl game since 2000. UNLV ended up finishing 7-6 in 2013, including a 5-3 record in MW play. The Rebels recorded seven wins for just the third time since 1984 and recorded five MW victories for the first time in league history. Hauck also was the special teams coordinator at UNLV all five years.
Before taking over the Rebels, Hauck was one of the winningest coaches in FCS at Montana, compiling an 80-17 overall record in seven seasons from 2003-09. Hauck led the Grizzlies to three FCS national championship appearances and earned at least a share of the Big Sky Conference title all seven years, going 47-6 in league play. Hauck racked up numerous accolades at Montana, including being named the Big Sky Coach of the Year three times (2006-07, 2009) and the AFCA Regional FCS Coach of the Year twice (2006 and 2009). He also coached the special teams with the Grizzlies.
Prior to joining his alma mater, Hauck had a four-year stint at Pac-12's Washington, working with the safeties and special teams from 1999-01 and the defensive backs in 2002. Before UW, Hauck was at Big 12's Colorado (now Pac-12) from 1995-98, coaching special teams all four seasons, the safeties (and recruiting coordinator) in 1998 and the outside linebackers from 1995-97.
Hauck has also logged coaching stints at Northern Arizona from 1993-94 (outside linebackers, special teams, recruiting coordinator), UCLA from 1990-92 (assistant recruiting coordinator in 1992, graduate assistant from 1990-91), Montana from 1988-89 (defensive line in 1989, secondary from 1988-89) and as an assistant coach at Sweet Grass High School in Big Timber, Mont., in 1987.
Hauck is one of four former Division I head coaches on the current San Diego State coaching staff, including Long (San Diego State, 2011-current; New Mexico, 1998-08), associate head coach/offensive coordinator/running backs coach Jeff Horton (Minnesota (interim), 2010; UNLV, 1994-98; Nevada, 1993), Hauck (UNLV, 2010-14; Montana, 2003-09) and director of player personnel Kevin McGarry (San Diego, 1996-03).
Altogether, Hauck has coached in nine bowl games at the FBS level and in eight postseasons on the FCS stage.
Hauck earned his bachelor's degree at Montana in 1987 and a master's at UCLA in 1991.
Hauck and his wife, Stacy, have four children - Sydney, Alexandria, Robby and Elise.