Bret Bielema Discuss Abrupt Exit of Illini DC Bobby Hauck

It took just four games for Illinois Football to move on from Bobby Hauck after just four games of the season. Bret Bielema made it clear on Monday that the news came as a surprise to the Illini head coach as well.

According to Bielema, Hauck reached out to him early Sunday morning and asked to meet. That conversation ultimately led to what the program described as a mutual parting of ways, with Hauck apparently reaching the conclusion that stepping away was in the best interest of the players and the program.

That’s an important distinction, especially when considering Hauck’s long coaching career. The former Montana head coach has spent decades on the sideline and built an impressive track record before arriving in Champaign. After four games, it is fair to wonder whether the 62-year-old coach simply reached a point where he felt it was time to step away from coaching at this level.

Bielema indicated, however, that Hauck’s decision was rooted in selflessness, saying his former defensive coordinator ultimately felt the players “deserve to be their best” and have “the best opportunity to win.

Illinois Football HC Bret Bielema on the Departure of DC Bobby Hauck

“Bobby reached out to me early Sunday morning and said he wanted to have a talk. I think when I got that message, I had an idea in my head what might be happening. So, I came in and had a conversation with him that obviously had to do with football. But it didn’t really have to do with football. He just felt it wasn’t working for him. Which then impacted the staff and affected our results.

But, more than anything, what I loved about him is kind of his final comment to me when I knew we were going to have to do something. He just felt that the players deserve to be their best, right? And to have the best opportunity to win. He didn’t think that could be obtainable the way things were going.

“So, the decision I made then was to put that in play.”

Bielema on a Backup Playcaller

“What’s kind of funny is, you learn a lot of things during coaching. I saw coaches miss games. The head coaches back when I was in the league would have a plan, really, for what was not only the play caller on both sides of the ball, but a backup play caller and really almost a third play caller on both sides of the ball and also in special teams.

“So, ironically, when I came here my first year, a lot of you probably remember I missed the Iowa game. But I had set in place already before that week ever happened that if I wasn’t able to go on game day, someone would take this capacity as a head coach and move forward. So, I’ve really done that every year. I have a conversation before the year starts with not only the play caller, but the second guy that we go to, and kind of have a plan set in stone.”

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