When it comes to the game of football, Cleveland Browns defensive backs coach Tim Hauck has no shortage of mentors.
Hauck, named the Browns’ defensive backs coach on January 23, 2012, grew up in Butte, Mont., and was always around the sport of football.
“From the beginning, my dad was a football coach,” Hauck recalled. “He kind of set the bar with discipline and how to prepare yourself and get yourself ready to play. I coached for my brother at Montana and he set the next step, as far as how you relate to the guys, how you coach them, how you coach them hard and get the most out of them. Then, it’s been a progression ever since. You’re always trying to get better.”
In coming to Cleveland, Hauck saw some familiar faces on the coaching staff.
First, Browns head coach Pat Shurmur and offensive coordinator Brad Childress were assistants with the Philadelphia Eagles during Hauck’s time in the “City of Brotherly Love.” Earlier in his career, Hauck played for the Green Bay Packers. During his Packers career, Hauck played for then-secondary coach Dick Jauron and defensive coordinator, Ray Rhodes.
Jauron is now the Browns’ defensive coordinator, while Rhodes is a senior assistant to the defense.
Browns president Mike Holmgren was Green Bay’s head coach for three of Hauck’s years with the Packers.
“They were a big part of my development,” Hauck said of Rhodes and Jauron, “especially Coach Jauron and having him for four years in the meeting rooms every day and on the field every day, details and his knowledge of the game, why you do things, why you don’t do certain things, the techniques you teach. Being able to go out on the field and demonstrate those techniques and seeing what works and what doesn’t, those guys were intricate in my development as a coach and a player.”
While he is surrounded by some of his football mentors in Cleveland, Hauck is working on teaching the way the game has changed since he last played. With increased emphasis on safety, Hauck’s message to his players will be “to play fast and physical.”
“There are going to be times where you’re going to get a penalty because angles and body positions change in an instant,” Hauck said. “The key is to play fast and physical and try to avoid the hits about the shoulder pads and we’ll be okay from there. If I could, I’d coach the guys to play with angles and with the mentality that it’s a physical game and it’s a big part of the game with the intimidation factor and the ability to make receivers drop balls just because they know you’re there and they know what you’re going to do. It’s an offensive world, but you still have to play with that same attitude.”
