Claude Gilbert
Encyclopedia
Claude Gilbert was an American football
coach
.
After serving as assistant to San Diego State coach Don Coryell
for six seasons, Gilbert succeeded him as the Aztecs' head coach in 1973. He compiled a 61-26-2 record and won three conference titles, ranking second in Aztec victories and winning percentage only to Coryell. They finished 10-1 in both 1976 and 1977. 1977 also saw the Aztecs crush Bobby Bowden
's Florida State team 41–16, and finish ranked 16th in the nation. During a transition from relying on junior college transfers to recruiting high school students, the Aztecs went 4–8 in 1980 and fired Gilbert in a controversial move.
Gilbert later became head coach at his alma mater, San Jose State, from 1985 to 1989. He compiled a 38-30-1 record with the Spartans, including a pair of consecutive 10–2 seasons in 1986 and 1987. Gilbert was fired from San Jose State following the 1989 season, for the same reason that San Diego State let him go. He won a wrongful termination suit against San Jose State in 1992.
Gilbert returned to San Diego State as defensive coordinator under Ted Tollner
in 1995, and oversaw consecutive eight-win seasons, the last time as of 2008 that the Aztecs have won that many games.
Gilbert was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 2004, and into the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor in 2006.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
.
After serving as assistant to San Diego State coach Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
for six seasons, Gilbert succeeded him as the Aztecs' head coach in 1973. He compiled a 61-26-2 record and won three conference titles, ranking second in Aztec victories and winning percentage only to Coryell. They finished 10-1 in both 1976 and 1977. 1977 also saw the Aztecs crush Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Robert Cleckler "Bobby" Bowden is a retired college football coach. He coached the Florida State Seminoles football team from the 1976 to 2009 seasons...
's Florida State team 41–16, and finish ranked 16th in the nation. During a transition from relying on junior college transfers to recruiting high school students, the Aztecs went 4–8 in 1980 and fired Gilbert in a controversial move.
Gilbert later became head coach at his alma mater, San Jose State, from 1985 to 1989. He compiled a 38-30-1 record with the Spartans, including a pair of consecutive 10–2 seasons in 1986 and 1987. Gilbert was fired from San Jose State following the 1989 season, for the same reason that San Diego State let him go. He won a wrongful termination suit against San Jose State in 1992.
Gilbert returned to San Diego State as defensive coordinator under Ted Tollner
Ted Tollner
Ted Alfred Tollner is a football coach who has worked as a head coach in college football and was also formerly the passing game coordinator of the Oakland Raiders.-Playing career:...
in 1995, and oversaw consecutive eight-win seasons, the last time as of 2008 that the Aztecs have won that many games.
Gilbert was inducted into the Aztec Hall of Fame in 2004, and into the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor in 2006.