Neuheisel Adds Gilbertson to Husky Football Staff
January 18, 1999
First-year Washington head football coach Rick Neuheisel has announced the addition of Keith Gilbertson to the Husky football coaching staff. The appointment is a return to the Washington ranks for Gilbertson, who served as an assistant coach for the Huskies from 1989-91. Gilbertson's position assignment will be announced when the remainder of the Washington staff is named.
The past three seasons Gilbertson has served as an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks on Dennis Erickson's staff. In 1996 he worked as a defensive specialists and took over as the tight ends coach for the past two years.
Gilbertson left Washington following the Huskies' 1991 national championship season to take over as the head coach at California. His four-year stint as the Golden Bears' coach was highlighted by the 1993 season team that posted a 9-4 record and defeated Iowa 37-3 in the Alamo Bowl. That win stands as California's last bowl victory.
Gilbertson has held the title of head coach on the collegiate level for a total of seven seasons. From 1986-88 he guided the Idaho program to a 28-9 record. His career coaching record stands at 48-35.
He began his coaching career at Idaho State in 1971 as a freshman coach. In 1974 he worked as the defensive coordinator at Western Washington. Is first coaching experience at Washington came in 1976 when he served as a graduate assistant coach for Don James.
From 1977-81 he was the offensive coordinator at Utah State. In 1982 he joined Erickson's staff at Idaho for one season as the offensive coordinator. From 1983-85 he coached in the USFL for the Los Angeles Express. He returned to Idaho in 1985 as the offensive coordinator before accepting the head coaching reigns for the following season.
Gilbertson grew up in Snohomish, Wash., where is father has been a long-time prep coach. He attended Snohomish High School before going on to play football at Columbia Basin Junior College in 1967. He played at Hawaii for one season before returning to earn his bachelor's degree in social sciences from Central Washington in 1971. Gilbertson earned a master's degree from Western Washington in 1974. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children.
