What does San José State coaching history show?
San José State coaching history on this page spans 19 tracked head coaches, led by Claude Gilbert with 38 wins from 1984-1989.
Program history
San José State Football History
Program history, coaching eras, title years, and signature seasons.
CEFCU Stadium • San Jose • CA
Mountain WestCEFCU Stadium
Seasons Indexed
91
All-Time Wins
396
Winning Seasons
38%
Last 10 Win %
41.1%
History guide
San José State program history explained
This history tab puts San José State into a longer program timeline: season records, winning and losing streaks, coaching-era context, title references, playoff runs, and decade-level performance.
The current dataset includes 91 indexed seasons, and 19 coaching tenures. Use the national record links to compare the program against broader college football leaderboards.
Program History
Explore the program's most dominant seasons, toughest stretches, and era-by-era trends.
Use the snapshot to scan program-wide benchmarks, standout seasons, and decade-level performance trends.
Total Wins
396
Across 91 seasons
Winning Seasons
38%
Share of winning records
Average Record
4.4-5.2
Per season
Last 10 Seasons
41.1%
Win rate since 2026
Signature Season
2012
11-2 (84.6% win rate)
Toughest Season
2010
1-12 (7.7% win rate)
Peak Seasons
Most wins in program history
Highlights the seasons that produced the biggest win totals for the program.
| Year | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 11-2 | 84.6% |
| 1987 | 10-2 | 83.3% |
| 1986 | 10-2 | 83.3% |
| 1975 | 9-2 | 81.8% |
| 1990 | 9-2-1 | 79.2% |
Challenging Seasons
Years that tested the fan base
Surfaces the seasons with the heaviest loss totals and weakest win rates.
| Year | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 1-12 | 7.7% |
| 2018 | 1-11 | 8.3% |
| 2017 | 2-11 | 15.4% |
| 2009 | 2-10 | 16.7% |
| 2004 | 2-9 | 18.2% |
Era Performance
Win rate by decade
Buckets every season into decade groups so long-run rises and dips are easier to spot.
| Decade | Record | Win % |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 36-34 | 51.4% |
| 2010s | 44-80 | 35.5% |
| 2000s | 46-73 | 38.7% |
| 1990s | 44-66-2 | 40.2% |
| 1980s | 67-46-1 | 59.2% |
| 1970s | 57-51-5 | 52.7% |
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