By Mick Holien
Truth be told dear listeners: I count Head football coach Bobby Hauck and the Hauck family as good friends.
Now that is not to say I am journalistically challenged when it comes to asking any question in an interview session.
Actually it probably gives me an edge and you can be the judge of that when you listen to some of what I glean from the new head man in a session this afternoon.
But here’s your chance to take part.
Bobby is making himself available to statewide affiliates for a look inside the program here just prior to the high school letter of intent signing deadline in February.
Go to 750kerr.com today and leave your question for Thursday afternoon’s session to be aired at a later time. I’ll take the best of the lot and include them when I talk to him.
So who was it who said you can never go back home?
Well the variation was a 1940 novel by Thomas Wolfe published posthumously entitled “You can’t go home again.”
But Hauck did buck the odds when he returned to his Alma mater after a stint at UNLV and a special teams position at San Diego State where his group drew raves nationally.
Jon Gruden made a similar move returning to Oakland for the head job with the Raiders but I suspicion his ten-year 100 million deal that lured him away a lead position at ESPN might exceed the lucrative contract Hauck signed.
Reportedly Bobby tried to gain the position when Mick Delaney retired and Bob Stitt was hired.
And sources say when he originally pulled down the UM job after Joe Glenn left in 2003 he came to the hiring committee with an as an impressive resume and long-range plan most had ever seen.
And the results speak for themselves with 80 wins against 17 losses in seven years during which he qualified for the playoffs every season playing for the championship three times.
I took a glance back at some playoff losses that could have even accelerated his success further.
In ‘03 he lost to Western Illinois by a field goal in double OT; In 2006 U-Mass won the semi-final game 19-17; Wofford was two points better in ’07 and Villanova claimed the title game by two in 2009, Montana’s only loss.
Now it is said I have an unfair advantage when it comes to interviewing Hauck. He told me years ago that Eleanor, his mother, especially cared for me and had advised him never to make things difficult on me.
Hey let’s face it I’ll take any advantage that I have … just sayin’
