Paulson named defensive coordinator at Montana

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - The Montana Grizzlies football team promoted defensive ends coach Kraig Paulson to defensive coordinator Friday.

Paulson succeeds Jeff Hammerschmidt, who left the Griz for an assistant coaching position at Cal Poly.

"I have decided to elevate a deserving member of our staff ," Griz head coach Bobby Hauck said in a statement.

"Kraig Paulson has great experience at both the Division I-AA and Division I-A levels. He has shown the ability to do a great job on game days for us the past couple of seasons, and I am excited to have him oversee our defense."

Paulson returns to the position he held with the Griz from 1998-99, the final two years of a 12-year stint on the Montana staff after a four-year playing career in Missoula.

Paulson left Montana along with former head coach Mick Dennehy for Utah State, where he served as the Aggies' defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.

He returned to the Griz in Hauck's first year, 2003, and coached the linebackers before moving to ends last season.

The promotion completes Hauck's staff in time for the start of spring drills, which commence Monday and culminate with the spring game April 9 in Polson.