WASHINGTON Head Coach Keith Gilbertson A well-respected coach in the Pacific Northwest for more than 20 years, ship season of 1991. In and a long-time assistant coach at Washington, Keith Gilbertson was 1999, he returned to named the Huskies’ head coach just weeks before the start of the 2003 Washington as assistant season. During his inaugural season as head coach, he directed Washing- head coach and tight ton to a 6-6 record, highlighted by the program’s sixth consecutive victory ends coach before being against cross-state rival Washington State in the Apple Cup. named offensive coordi- Gilbertson’s relationship with Husky football first started when he was a nator prior to the 2000 youngster growing up in nearby Everett. He would often attend Husky season. games, buying a one dollar ticket to sit in the inexpensive endzone seats. In his two terms as the When presented the opportunity to join Don James’ UW staff in 1976 as UW’s offensive coordina- a graduate assistant, he jumped at the chance. Since that time he has tor, Gilbertson built a coached in the professional ranks, directed two other college programs and reputation for varied and made several stops back with the Huskies. potent offenses. The 2004 season will be the 10th year of coaching at Washington for Gilbertson was instru- Gilbertson. He is currently in his third term of service with the Husky mental in developing program. He was a graduate assistant coach in 1976, an assistant coach Washington’s offense from 1989-91 and again from 1999-2002. into one of the most ex- Gilbertson is the 24th head coach in the program’s history. When he plosive in the nation be- accepted the job at age 55, he became the oldest individual to be named tween 1989 and 1991. He was the Huskies’ offensive line coach his first two Washington’s head coach. seasons and took over as the offensive coordinator in 1991 when Washing- Gilbertson’s previous head coaching experience includes stints at Idaho ton won the national championship. The 1991 Washington team led the (1986-88) and California (1992-95). He has a combined record of 48-35 at Pac-10 in total offense, rushing offense and scoring offense, relying on a those two schools over seven seasons. His overall record as a head coach balanced attack now stands at 54-41. In 2002, that offense was the most potent passing attack ever seen not Gilbertson had been the Huskies’ offensive coordinator from 2000-2002. only at Washington, but in the Pac-10. Junior quarterback Cody Pickett He was also a graduate assistant coach at the UW in 1976, an offensive line smashed the Pac-10 record for single-season passing yardage and comple- coach in 1998-90 and the offensive coordinator in the national champion- tions while the UW threw for 4,501 yards as a team, breaking the old Pac- 10 record by 712 yards. In 2001, with a sophomore Pickett taking over the signalcalling, the Husky offense was second in the Pac-10 in passing, averaging 279.5 yards per game. A year earlier, behind senior quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, UW’s option-oriented rushing attack led the Pac-10 and was 16th nationally. The Huskies’ ability to come from behind in the fourth quarter helped UW to the Pac-10 title and the 2001 Rose Bowl Championship. Gilbertson began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Idaho State (1971-74) and earned a degree in education from Western Washing- ton, where he was a grad assistant in 1975. After serving the 1976 season as a grad assistant at Washington for Don James, he was the offensive coordinator at Utah State from 1977 to 1981. In 1982 he joined Dennis Erickson’s staff at Idaho for one season as the offensive coordinator. The Vandals recorded an 8-3 regular-season record Keith Gilbertson’s Head Coaching Career Year School Overall Conf. Finish 1986 Idaho 8-4 5-2 3rd Big Sky 1987 Idaho 9-3 7-1 1st Big Sky 1988 Idaho 11-2 7-1 1st Big Sky 1992 California 4-7 2-6 9th Pac-10 1993 California 9-4 4-4 tie-4th Pac-10 1994 California 4-7 3-5 tie-5th Pac-10 1995 California 3-8 2-6 tie-8th Pac-10 2003 Washington 6-6 4-4 tie-5th Pac-10 Idaho Totals 28-9 (.757) 19-4 (.826) California Totals 20-26 (.435) 11-21 (.344) The Coaches Washington Totals 6-6 (.500) 4-4 (.500) Career Totals 54-41 (.568) 34-29 (.540) 74 • 2004 Husky Football HUSKIES and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA I-AA playoffs. For three seasons, from 1983-85, he coached in the USFL for the Los The Gilbertson File Angeles Express. He returned to Idaho in 1985 as the offensive coordinator and helped the Vandals to a 9-2 regular-season record and another trip to Personal the NCAA playoffs. The following season he took over as Idaho’s head Birthplace: Snohomish, Wash. coach when Erickson was named head coach at Washington State. Birthdate: May 15, 1948 Gilbertson led the Vandals to an 11-2 record in 1988, the best mark in Family: Wife Barbara and children Ann, Kristin and David. school history. That year Idaho advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Education semifinals and he was named the Big Sky Conference coach of the year. His High School: Snohomish High School, Snohomish, Wash. (1966) 1987 and 1988 teams both won the Big Sky championships. His .757 career College: Central Washington (1971), Western Washington (1974) winning percentage is still the highest in Idaho history. His three Vandal teams produced a combined 28-9 record and advanced Playing Experience to the I-AA playoffs all three seasons. When he left Idaho, his winning Hawaii (1969-70) percentage (.757) ranked as the second best mark in the history of the Big Sky Conference. His winning percentage of .826 in conference games (19- Coaching Experience 4) was the best in league history. 1971-74 Idaho State (graduate assistant) 1975 Western Washington (graduate assistant) After working on James’ staff at Washington from 1989-91, Gilbertson left 1976 Washington (graduate assistant) the Huskies following the team’s 1991 national championship season to 1977-81 Utah State (offensive coordinator) take over as the head coach at California. His four-year stint as the Golden 1982 Idaho (offensive coordinator) Bears’ coach was highlighted by the 1993 team that posted a 9-4 record and 1983-85 LA Express, USFL (assistant coach) defeated Iowa 37-3 in the Alamo Bowl. That win stands as California’s last 1985 Idaho (offensive coordinator) bowl victory. Gilbertson was also the last Cal coach to pin a loss on arch- 1986-88 Idaho (head coach) rival Stanford until 2002. 1989-90 Washington (offensive line) Following his head coaching tenure at California, Gilbertson worked as 1991 Washington (offensive coordinator, offensive line) an assistant coach for the Seattle Seahawks on Erickson’s staff for three 1992-95 California (head coach) seasons. In 1996 he served as a defensive specialist and took over as the 1996-98 Seattle Seahawks, NFL (assistant coach) tight ends coach for the 1997 and 1998 seasons. 1999 Washington (asst. head coach, offensive line, tight ends) Gilbertson grew up in Snohomish, Wash., where his father, Keith, Sr., 2000-02 Washington (offensive coordinator, tight ends) has been a long-time prep coach. He attended Snohomish High School 2003 Washington (head coach) before going on to play football at Central Washington in 1967, Columbia Bowl Experience Basin Junior College in 1968, and Hawaii from 1969-70. 1989 Freedom Bowl (Washington vs. Florida) He later returned to earn his bachelor’s degree in social sciences from 1990 Rose Bowl (Washington vs. Iowa) Central Washington in 1971. Gilbertson earned a degree in education from 1991 Rose Bowl (Washington vs. Michigan) Western Washington in 1974. 1993 Alamo Bowl (California vs. Iowa) Born in Snohomish on May 15, 1948, he attended Snohomish High 1999 Holiday Bowl (Washington vs. Kansas State) School. Gilbertson and his wife, Barbara, were married in 1988 and have 2001 Rose Bowl (Washington vs. Purdue) two children, Kristin and David. Gilbertson also has an adult daughter, Ann, 2001 Holiday Bowl (Washington vs. Texas) who resides in Los Angeles. 2002 Sun Bowl (Washington vs. Purdue) What They’re Saying About Keith Gilbertson “Those who know Gilbertson call him a players’ coach and a great motivator. “Good thing his college eligibility has expired, or Gilbertson’s first order of They say he fosters a sense of family with his players, but never lets them business would be to issue himself a gold helmet and purple shirt, drop forget that he is the patriarch. He is a patient listener who doesn’t have to down in a four-point stance and finally see what he could do. He’s not unlike scream at players to make his point. And for his fair treatment, the players the audacious kid in high school who was rejected by the homecoming respond by playing their hearts out for him.” queen but couldn’t get over her, to the point he pursued her through – Gary Nelson, Everett Herald adulthood until she finally gave in to his persistence.” – Dan Raley, Seattle Post-Intelligencer “He and I grew up in the same place, doing the same thing: Going to Husky game sand watching Jim Owens, (Bob) Schloredt, (Don) McKeta, and Jim “I’ve been around him long enough to know what he’s like. He’s real fiery Lambright.