The Zeitgeist List · coaching

Keith Gilbertson

Followed Rick Neuheisel. Keith Gilbertson held Washington at Power Program II for 2 seasons.

The ascent
27–42
1992–2004 · 2 stints
CaliforniaWashington
← all coaches

Career arc

His real stature score, season by season, across every program he’s coached — so a stretch that stays in one tier the whole way can still climb or sink on the line, not just flatten out. Node color marks the tier reached. Which program a stretch belongs to is carried by the shaded lane behind it.

Stature score reached, by season of his head-coaching careerCALIFORNIAWASHINGTONPower Programperennial contenderNational Programrespectable, streakyCalifornia, 1992: 4-7, National Program II1992California, 1993: 9-4, National Program I1993California, 1994: 4-7, National Program II1994California, 1995: 3-8, National Program II1995+4.2Washington, 2003: 6-6, Power Program II2003Washington, 2004: 1-10, Power Program III2004-2.9One point per coached season, in career order; dashed segments are program changes — spacing is not proportional to calendar time

Reached Power Program in his 5th career season — faster than 30% of the 395 FBS coaches who have ever reached Power Program (rank #251 of 395 by seasons-to-arrival).

California, 4 seasons
+4.2
National Program II → National Program II.
Washington, 2 seasons
−2.9
Power Program II → Power Program III.

The big-game ledger

How he does in the games that matter most — rivalry record, performance broken out by real opponent tier, one-score games, and his toughest historical matchup.

4–4 against his rivals. Winless in 3 tries against John Robinson.

Rivalry record
4–4
50.0% · 3 rivals
One-score games
8–12
40.0% · margin ≤8
vs. Blue Blood or better
0–1
0.0%
Rivalry ledger
Stanford2–250%
Oregon1–150%
Washington State1–150%
The toughest matchup
vs. John Robinson0–3
3 meetings, 1993–1995
’93 L’94 L’95 L
0% win rate across a real, 3-meeting series — short of the bar this site uses before badging a series “Nemesis.” Shown here as the toughest matchup on record, not an algorithmic crown.
Performance by opponent class
Dynasty
0–1 0.0%
Blue Blood
0–2 0.0%
Power Program
6–17 26.1%
National Program
11–20 35.5%
Regional Program
9–2 81.8%

Coaching career

2003–2004
Washingtoncaretaker
Power Program II → Power Program II
Keith Gilbertson held Washington at Power Program II for 2 seasons.

8th-best Washington tenure of 18 by the numbers.

Followed Rick Neuheisel (1999–2002) · succeeded by Tyrone Willingham (2005–2008).

6 NFL Draft picks: Reggie Williams (2004), Terry Johnson (2004), Marquis Cooper (2004), Cody Pickett (2004), Khalif Barnes (2005), Derrick Johnson (2005)

7–16
1992–1995
Californiacaretaker
National Program II → National Program I
Keith Gilbertson moved California from National Program II to National Program I in 4 seasons.

6th-best California tenure of 19 by the numbers.

Followed Bruce Snyder (1987–1991) · succeeded by Steve Mariucci (1996–1996).

13 NFL Draft picks: Troy Auzenne (1992), David Wilson (1992), Sean Dawkins (1993), Russell White (1993), Chidi Ahanotu (1993), Todd Steussie (1994), Eric Mahlum (1994), Doug Brien (1994) + 5 more

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