Montana extends Bobby Kennedy through 2029 after strong debut season

Montana turned a strong first impression into a longer commitment, giving Bobby Kennedy a new four-year contract that keeps him in Missoula through the 2029 season. The move is more than a routine extension. It says the Grizzlies believe Kennedy fits the standard for one of the FCS’s most visible jobs and that the program expects to stay in the playoff conversation rather than reset again.

The timing carries weight inside the athletic department. Kent Haslam, who has run Montana athletics since Sept. 17, 2012, moved quickly after a 2025 season that ended with the Grizzlies at 13-2 and in the national semifinal round. Haslam said working with Kennedy since the spring showed a leader with clear priorities, a strong work ethic and a big-picture focus on the football program and the university. After Bobby Hauck retired following 14 seasons, Montana did not wait long to establish continuity around the next era.

Kennedy was officially named Montana’s 38th head football coach on Feb. 5, 2026, after one season as the Grizzlies’ wide receivers coach in 2025. At his introductory press conference in the Canyon Club at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, he was surrounded by a majority of the roster and framed his approach around being a player’s coach first. That matters in a sport where roster turnover, transfer movement and staff changes can quickly erode trust.

The on-field case for the extension was straightforward. Montana led the Big Sky in scoring offense in 2025 at 41.0 points per game and in total offense at 457.0 yards per game, piling up 6,855 yards. The Grizzlies carried that production into a 13-2 season before a 48-23 loss to Montana State in the FCS semifinals on Dec. 20, 2025. ESPN listed Montana at 13-2 entering that game, a record that reflected how far the program had pushed under Kennedy’s first-year staff.

Kennedy’s resume also helps explain why Montana is betting on stability. He brings more than 30 years of coaching experience, was named Football Scoop FBS Wide Receiver Coach of the Year in 2008, helped Texas win the 2005 national championship and played a role in the Longhorns’ return to the BCS championship game in 2009. For Montana, keeping that background in place through 2029 gives recruits, current players and assistants a clear picture of who will be guiding the program as the Grizzlies try to remain in the FCS title tier.