Illinois hires new defensive coordinator, bringing 'aggressive scheme'

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Illinois football has hired Bobby Hauck as its defensive coordinator.

Hauck, 61, comes to the Fighting Illini after recently announcing his retirement as the Montana head coach. In two stints with the Big Sky Conference program, he won 151 games with eight league titles and reached the FCS national title game three times.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Illinois football program," Hauck said in a statement. "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. 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."

Hauck is a first-time defensive coordinator, replacing Aaron Henry, who left to become Notre Dame's defensive back coach and defensive passing game coordinator.

"Since meeting Coach Hauck early on in my head coaching career," Bielema said in a release, "I have had tremendous respect for who he is, what he stands for, and the program he has built. He is a family man with incredible attention to detail and a great ability to teach the game to both his staffs and players.

"Coach Hauck's aggressive defensive scheme, which he learned at San Diego State and developed at Montana, will be an exciting new style that has never been seen here at Illinois."

During the 2025 campaign, Illinois gave up 345.1 yards per game and 23.6 points. This was highlighted by allowing 13 points or less five times, including a shutout against Western Michigan in Week 3.

An introductory press conference for Hauck is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Meet Bobby Hauck, the new Illinois football defensive coordinator

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