Hauck leaves FCS runner-up Montana to coach UNLV

LAS VEGAS -- UNLV hired Montana's Bobby Hauck as its next football coach, less than a week after he coached the Grizzlies in the FCS national championship game.

A person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press about UNLV's selection of Hauck on Tuesday. The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to make an official announcement.

UNLV has announced plans to introduce its new coach on Wednesday.

Hauck went 80-17 in seven seasons with the Grizzles and led the team to three Football Championship Subdivision national title games, including last week's 23-21 loss to Villanova.

The 45-year-old Montana native began his college career as a volunteer assistant for the Grizzlies in 1988, after assisting a high school team in 1987.

He became Montana's youngest coach in December 2002 at age 38.

Montana officials declined to comment.

The other finalist for the UNLV vacancy was former Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione. Franchione and Hauck both interviewed for the position.

Hauck will replace Mike Sanford, who was fired last month after going 16-43 and failing to make a bowl game in five seasons with the Rebels. The Rebels were 5-7 in 2009 and lost by 20 points or more five times, including a 41-0 loss at TCU and an embarrassing 63-28 loss at Nevada.

Sanford was introduced Tuesday as the offensive coordinator at Louisville.

UNLV took a while to fill its coaching vacancy because it was in the process of hiring a new athletic director.

Jim Livengood, the former AD at Arizona, was hired as UNLV's athletic director last week, and said his top priority was finding a new football coach.

UNLV had been without a permanent athletic director since July, when Mike Hamrick left for Marshall University.

UNLV has not had a winning season since 2000, when it went 8-5 and beat Arkansas 31-14 in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Rebels have made three bowl games since the program began in 1968 and have never won a Mountain West Conference title.