Milestone victory for Hauck

The Daily Inter Lake

MISSOULA - Everybody wanted a piece of the highly-ranked University of Montana football team this year.

Nobody got it.

Five of the Grizzlies' 11 opponents played to within one possession in a loss. But no I-AA program was able to beat the Griz.

And in reeling off 10-straight victories to close the regular season, UM coach Bobby Hauck won his 39th career game at the Grizzly helm to tie living legends Joe Glenn and Mick Dennehy as fourth on the all-time Grizzly career wins list.

"I feel strongly that this is a great Grizzly football team," Montana State coach Mike Kramer said. "Bobby (Hauck), in and of himself, ascends to the same level as coach (Mick) Dennehy and coach (Joe) Glenn and those coaches that were able to continue the great tradition started here by coach (Don) Read. So congratulations to Bobby."

Read heads the list with 85 victories from 1985-95. Jack Swarthout (1967-75) is second with 51. And Doug Fessenden (1935-41, 1946-48) is third with 46.

"It hasn't been the way Grizzly fans have wanted (with Hauck)," Kramer said. "Coach Read came in here and laid down a very difficult path to follow, with those great quarterbacks and throwing the ball all over the place. What's happened is the way the Grizzlies are able to win even when they make mistakes, they don't panic and they play within themselves."

This year's victories weren't as easy as the Grizzlies' 10-1 record indicates.

And Montana State came within one possession Saturday. But the Griz prevailed.

Kramer disputed all the Grizzly naysayers after Saturday's loss with this:

"I've heard every coach that's coached against the Grizzlies this year sit up here and say, 'You know, we are better than those guys (the Griz) and we can beat those guys. You know what? You ain't (better than those guys). So shut the heck up. You're not. I hear all the coaches in the conference say, 'Man, we could've beaten those guys.' You know what? You didn't. Nobody did. So congratulations to the Grizzlies."

Hauck took the milestone in stride.

"All wins feel good," he said. "The 10 in a row is what really impresses me the most. It has been a great job by our players and assistant coaches. I'm like you guys: I sit and watch on Saturdays."

Montana will host a first-round playoff game Saturday. Its opponent will be named by the playoff selection committee and announced today at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN News' I-AA Football Playoff Show.