Welcome to the 2022 FCS Jersey Countdown. Leading up to Week 0 games on Aug. 27, HERO Sports will name the best returning FCS player by jersey number, 99-0. Due to rosters being updated at different times for teams across the country and to keep things consistent, jersey numbers are based on last season’s rosters.
The 99-0 countdown central page can be found here.
Note: Jersey numbers are based on 2021 rosters.
17: Robby Hauck, DB (Sr.) — Montana
Hauck has been a mainstay on the standout Montana defense for several years, one that now features three players on HERO Sports’ 2022 Preseason All-American First Team and a fourth on the Third Team.
The safety transferred to Montana from Northern Arizona in 2018, the first season of his father Bobby Hauck’s second stint as the Griz head coach. He’s been a playmaker ever since, totaling 364 career tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks, nine passes defended, and five forced fumbles in three full seasons plus the two-game 2021 spring season.
In 2018, Hauck racked up 95 tackles, garnering HERO Sports Freshman All-American honors and finishing seventh in voting for the Jerry Rice Award (top FCS freshman). The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder’s aggressive play also earned him the Golden Helmet Award, honoring the team’s hardest hitter. As a sophomore in 2019, Hauck posted 129 tackles in 14 games. He was named on the All-Big Sky Third Team and was named a HERO Sports Third Team All-American.
Montana played two games in the spring of 2021. Then last fall in a full season, Hauck was once again a tackling machine, totaling 128 tackles and seven TFLs in 13 games. More accolades came flowing in, including HERO Sports All-American Third Team, All-Conference First Team, and the team’s defensive MVP.
With their returning starters, the Griz will have an elite defense this fall. On our Top 25 returning players by position series this summer, they have the No. 15 DL Alex Gubner, No. 23 LB Marcus Welnel, No. 1 LB Patrick O’Connell, No. 2 safety Robby Hauck, honorable mention CB Jayden Dawson, and the No. 1 CB Justin Ford. This is out of thousands of FCS players per position group. Montana ranked No. 8 last season in FCS scoring defense (16.3 points allowed per game), No. 2 in turnovers gained (30), No. 5 in team sacks (44), and No. 3 in team tackles for loss (106).
After back-to-back fall quarterfinal appearances, Montana has heightened expectations this year. It is ranked No. 3 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 media poll.
