MISSOULA — Thomas Hauck, a Butte native who played linebacker and center for the Montana football team and later served as an assistant coach, died in Missoula last weekend at the age of 83.
The Butte High grad earned all-state honors in football and basketball in the 1950s before taking his talents to the University of Montana. There he was a standout linebacker until a knee injury forced a position change to center.
The Vietnam veteran started his coaching career at Billings Senior where he guided the varsity football team. He then served as defensive coordinator for Rocky Mountain College before joining the Griz football coaching staff in 1999.
Hauck was UM defensive line coach for a decade — first on Joe Glenn’s staff and then on the staff of nephew Bobby Hauck when he took the reins for his first head coaching stint in 2003. Tom Hauck helped guide the 2001 Grizzlies to a national championship. He also helped guide two other teams that reached the national championship game under Bpbby Hauck and was part of nine Big Sky Conference championships.
“Tom was loved by all his players and coaching colleagues and was always a steadying positive influence,” Bobby Hauck expressed in an obituary on gardencityfh.com. “He had the right temperament, both calm and fire when needed.”
Funeral services for Thomas Hauck, who is a member of the Butte Sports Hall of Fame, will be held next Friday (Sept. 26) at St. Francis Catholic Church in Missoula.
Bill Speltz is Missoulian sports editor. Contact him at bill.speltz@406mtsports.com or on Twitter @billspeltz
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Bill Speltz
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