Northwestern's Mike Hankwitz, who coached at UW in '06 and '07, still going strong at 69

MADISON – Mike Hankwitz doesn’t comport himself like a man who turns 70 in 2½ months and has been a college football coach for nearly five decades. 

His body is sound. 

His mind is quick. 

His memory is voluminous.

His passion for the game remains palpable.

Hankwitz, a member of Bret Bielema’s staff at Wisconsin in 2006 and ’07, is in his 10th season as Northwestern’s defensive coordinator, his 47th season of coaching overall.

Forty-seven years. 

“That is insane,” Northwestern center Brad North said when told how long Hankwitz has been coaching. 

Safety Godwin Igwebuike was stunned when he learned the length of Hankwitz’s résumé.

“Holy cow,” Igwebuike said. “I didn’t even realize he was that old. The guy looks good and he moves around. I tell him all the time: ‘You’re a genius.’ 

“We are obviously lucky to have him — very intelligent guy. He is obviously the brains behind our defense. He is a cool dude and an interesting guy.”

Hankwitz is set to patrol the sideline at Camp Randall Stadium when Northwestern (2-1) opens Big Ten play against Wisconsin (3-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Badgers on Sunday stayed at No. 10 in the Amway coaches poll but dropped one spot to No. 10 in The Associated Press poll. 

Hankwitz's coaching career began in 1970 — UW coach Paul Chryst was 4 — when he was named Michigan’s JV coach. He took the job a few months after earning his bachelor's degree in education from Michigan, where he was a three-year letter-winner. 

Hankwitz has coached outside linebackers, defensive backs, punters and inside linebackers. He has been a defensive coordinator for 33-plus years, at seven schools. He has served as interim head coach twice, in 2003 at Arizona and 2005 at Colorado.  

So how long will he continue to scheme and teach before he chooses to walk away and enjoy football as a fan?

“I told Fitz that I’m sure there is going to come a point, sometime in my career,” he said, referring to head coach Pat Fitzgerald. “But the game has changed. So there are new challenges. And the kids are great to work with. They are great people and they want to be coached. They want to win.

“We are trying to do something special here and we’ve been painfully close. We’ve competed for the Big Ten West but we haven’t won it."

Northwestern finished 5-4 in the Big Ten and 7-6 overall last season, but in 2015 the Wildcats finished second in the Big Ten West at 6-2 and 10-3 overall. They finished 5-3 in the league, third in the Legends Division in 2012, and 10-3 overall. 

“We’ve been knocking on the door,” Hankwitz said. “We’d like to break the door down.”

Hankwitz joined the Northwestern staff not long after UW suffered a 21-17 loss to Tennessee in the 2008 Outback Bowl. 

Bielema decided to promote Dave Doeren from co-defensive coordinator to sole defensive coordinator and Hankwitz was out of work — briefly.

“I really enjoyed working with Hank,” said Chryst, who was UW’s offensive coordinator from 2006-’11 under Bielema. “One, he is a really good football coach and a really good person. I enjoyed going down and talking football with him. A ton of respect for him."

Fitzgerald called Bielema to inquire about Doeren and learned Hankwitz had been let go.

Fitzgerald, who was preparing for his third season as head coach, didn’t need long to offer Hankwitz the job of defensive coordinator.

“It wasn’t hard at all,” Fitzgerald said. “Veteran. Someone who has been through a lot of battles. He has seen it all. He has run it all. 

“He is an amazing teacher. He is a terrific, terrific staff-mate. When you get Hank, he is all in."

Hankwitz last season had to run a defense that was without its top two cornerbacks after only two games. 

The Wildcats entered camp earlier this summer believing the secondary would be the strength of the defense, but three cornerbacks have been lost for the season because of injury.

Keith Watkins suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in camp, his second ACL injury in two years. Brian Bullock suffered a season-ending foot injury in the opener against Nevada, and Roderick Campbell, who started nine games as a freshman last season, had shoulder surgery.

Hankwitz acknowledged 2016 was difficult, but the injuries became a challenge he and his staff worked hard to overcome.

At some point, however, Hankwitz will turn in his playbook and choose a quiet life over rebuilding defenses. 

The No. 1 item on his bucket list might be to attend a football game as a fan. He’s never had that luxury.

“I’d love to go to some games and tailgate,” he said. “I’d love to sit out there and have some barbecue and then watch the game. I’d love to enjoy the atmosphere and go to some of the great venues I’ve never been in. Go watch some friends coach. …

“I started coaching right out of college. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a game as a spectator.”