Keith Gilbertson
Encyclopedia
Keith Gilbertson, Jr. is an American football
coach and former player. He is currently a scout with the Cleveland Browns
of the NFL
. Gilbertson has served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho
(1986–1988), the University of California, Berkeley
(1992–1995), and the University of Washington
(2003–2004), compiling a career college football
record of 55–51.
coach, Gilbertson grew up in Snohomish, Washington
, northeast of Seattle. He graduated from Snohomish High School
in 1966 and attended Central Washington University
in Ellensburg
, Columbia Basin College
, the University of Hawaii
, and returned to Central Washington, where he received a bachelor's degree
in social sciences in 1971. He later earned a degree in education from Western Washington University
in 1974.
in 1977 at Utah State
under head coach Bruce Snyder
. After five seasons in Logan
, he joined Dennis Erickson
's new staff at Idaho
, who immediately turned the Vandal program around in 1982
, going 8–3 in the regular season and advancing to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs. The following spring, Gilbertson departed for the Los Angeles Express of the newly formed USFL
, where he coached as offensive coordinator for three seasons. Following the demise of the league, Gilbertson returned to Idaho in 1985, and the Vandals won their first Big Sky Conference
title in 14 seasons. Erickson departed for Wyoming
following the 1985 season, and Gilbertson was promoted to head coach of the Vandals program. In his three seasons as head coach (1986–88), Gilbertson's win-loss record was 28–9 (.757). Following consecutive conference championships and advancing to the Division I-AA national semifinals, Gilbertson left Moscow
in 1989 for Seattle
to become an assistant at Washington
under Don James. His three-year stint concluded with the undefeated 1991 national championship team
, for which served Gilbertson served as offensive coordinator.
After Washington, Gilbertson became the head coach at California
in 1992. Despite leading Cal to a 9–4 record with a decisive victory in the 1993 Alamo Bowl
, he was dismissed after his fourth season when the 1995 Bears went 3–8. Gilbertson's overall record at Cal was 20–26 (.435).
After Cal, record was an assistant coach for the NFL's
Seattle Seahawks
for three seasons (1996–1998) under Erickson. In 1999, he returned to the Washington Huskies as an assistant head coach under new head coach Rick Neuheisel
.
Gilbertson became the head coach at Washington in 2003 following the abrupt summer dismissal of Neuheisel. His first season was fairly respectable at 6-6; only a blowout loss to Cal in the next-to-last game of the season kept the Huskies out of a bowl game. The bottom fell out a year later, in which the Huskies finished 1-10, including only their second winless PCC/Big Five/Pac-8/Pac-10 record in peacetime. He was fired near the end of the season. His record at Washington was 7–16 (.304), the second worst coaching record in the history of the program, next to that of his successor, Tyrone Willingham
. He then returned to the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant under Mike Holmgren
.
Gilbertson overall record as a collegiate head coach stands at 55–51 (.519).
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 and former player. He is currently a scout with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Gilbertson has served as the head football coach at the University of Idaho
University of Idaho
The University of Idaho is the State of Idaho's flagship and oldest public university, located in the rural city of Moscow in Latah County in the northern portion of the state...
(1986–1988), the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
(1992–1995), and the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
(2003–2004), compiling a career college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
record of 55–51.
Early life and playing career
The son of a high school footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
coach, Gilbertson grew up in Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish, Washington
Snohomish is a city in Snohomish County founded by the british, Washington, United States. The population was 9,098 at the 2010 census. The mayor of Snohomish is Karen Guzak, and the City Manager is Larry Bauman...
, northeast of Seattle. He graduated from Snohomish High School
Snohomish Senior High School
Snohomish High School is a secondary school located in the Snohomish School District, in Snohomish, Washington. SHS, built for 1200 students, contains 1797 9th-12th graders The school serves primarily those students living north of the Snohomish River...
in 1966 and attended Central Washington University
Central Washington University
Central Washington University, often abbreviated CWU, is a public university in Ellensburg, Washington in the United States.This location was selected by the state legislature as a consolation prize after Ellensburg lost its bid to be state capital...
in Ellensburg
Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg is a city in, and the county seat of, Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 18,174 at the 2010 census. The population was 18,250 at 2011 Estimate from Office of Financial Management. Ellensburg is located just east of the Cascade Range on I-90 and is known as the...
, Columbia Basin College
Columbia Basin College
Columbia Basin College is a community college based in Pasco, Washington. The College offers many associate degrees and one baccalaureate business degree in applied management....
, the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
, and returned to Central Washington, where he received a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in social sciences in 1971. He later earned a degree in education from Western Washington University
Western Washington University
Western Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.-History:...
in 1974.
Coaching career
After three stints as a graduate assistant, Gilbertson became an offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in 1977 at Utah State
Utah State Aggies football
The Utah State Aggies are a college football team that competes in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I, representing Utah State University. The Utah State college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Romney Stadium since 1968...
under head coach Bruce Snyder
Bruce Snyder
Bruce Snyder was an American football player and coach. After playing for Oregon in the early 1960s as a fullback, Snyder embarked on a coaching career...
. After five seasons in Logan
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...
, he joined Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson
Dennis Erickson is an American football coach and former player. He was the head football coach at Arizona State University until November 28, 2011, a position he had held since the 2007 season. In 2008 the Arizona Board of Regents had approved a contract extension to keep Erickson at Arizona...
's new staff at Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
, who immediately turned the Vandal program around in 1982
1982 Idaho Vandals football team
The 1982 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by first-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in...
, going 8–3 in the regular season and advancing to the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs. The following spring, Gilbertson departed for the Los Angeles Express of the newly formed USFL
United States Football League
The United States Football League was an American football league which was in active operation from 1983 to 1987. It played a spring/summer schedule in its first three seasons and a traditional autumn/winter schedule was set to commence before league operations ceased.The USFL was conceived in...
, where he coached as offensive coordinator for three seasons. Following the demise of the league, Gilbertson returned to Idaho in 1985, and the Vandals won their first Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
title in 14 seasons. Erickson departed for Wyoming
Wyoming Cowboys football
The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...
following the 1985 season, and Gilbertson was promoted to head coach of the Vandals program. In his three seasons as head coach (1986–88), Gilbertson's win-loss record was 28–9 (.757). Following consecutive conference championships and advancing to the Division I-AA national semifinals, Gilbertson left Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
in 1989 for Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
to become an assistant at Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
under Don James. His three-year stint concluded with the undefeated 1991 national championship team
1991 Washington Huskies football team
The 1991 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 1991 college football season. Head coach Don James was assisted by coordinators Keith Gilbertson and Jim Lambright , both head coaches themselves within two years.The 1991 team was arguably the finest team in...
, for which served Gilbertson served as offensive coordinator.
After Washington, Gilbertson became the head coach at California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
in 1992. Despite leading Cal to a 9–4 record with a decisive victory in the 1993 Alamo Bowl
1993 Alamo Bowl
The 1993 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the , and the Iowa Hawkeyes. One of the bowl's invites was expected to be a school from the Texas-based Southwest Conference . However, only 2 of the SWC's eight teams reached the necessary 6 wins for bowl eligibility and those teams were committed to...
, he was dismissed after his fourth season when the 1995 Bears went 3–8. Gilbertson's overall record at Cal was 20–26 (.435).
After Cal, record was an assistant coach for the NFL's
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
for three seasons (1996–1998) under Erickson. In 1999, he returned to the Washington Huskies as an assistant head coach under new head coach Rick Neuheisel
Rick Neuheisel
Richard Gerald "Rick" Neuheisel, Jr. , is an American football coach, former player, and attorney. He was most recently the head football coach at University of California, Los Angeles, a position he held from 2008 to 2011...
.
Gilbertson became the head coach at Washington in 2003 following the abrupt summer dismissal of Neuheisel. His first season was fairly respectable at 6-6; only a blowout loss to Cal in the next-to-last game of the season kept the Huskies out of a bowl game. The bottom fell out a year later, in which the Huskies finished 1-10, including only their second winless PCC/Big Five/Pac-8/Pac-10 record in peacetime. He was fired near the end of the season. His record at Washington was 7–16 (.304), the second worst coaching record in the history of the program, next to that of his successor, Tyrone Willingham
Tyrone Willingham
Lionel Tyrone "Ty" Willingham is a former American football player and coach. He was the head coach at Stanford University , the University of Notre Dame , and the University of Washington , compiling a career college football record of 76–88–1.-Early career:Willingham attended...
. He then returned to the Seattle Seahawks as an assistant under Mike Holmgren
Mike Holmgren
Michael George Holmgren is a former professional football coach and current President of the Cleveland Browns. He served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1992 to 1998, and the Seattle Seahawks from 1999 to 2008...
.
Gilbertson overall record as a collegiate head coach stands at 55–51 (.519).