Kenneth Gilstrap enters his first season as the special teams coordinator and safeties coach for the Panthers.
Gilstrap arrives at FIU following a two-year stint as the secondary coach at UAB (2023-24). During the 2023 campaign the UAB defense ranked 7th nationally in fumbles recovered and had 21 takeaway total. Gilstrap’s unit was responsible for 12 of the team’s 21 takeaways, including nine of UAB’s 10 interceptions.
Prior to his time in Birmingham, Gilstrap spent the four previous seasons (2019-2022) coaching cornerbacks at Middle Tennessee. In February of 2022, he was also given the responsibilities of special teams coordinator for the Blue Raiders.
Gilstrap turned the cornerbacks at Middle Tennessee into one of the most disruptive units in all of college football as the Blue Raiders ranked second nationally in passes intercepted in 2022 (20) and fifth nationally in 2021 (17).
Additionally, Middle Tennessee was third nationally in blocked kicks (6) and fifth nationally in blocked punts (4) under Gilstrap’s tutelage in 2022.
Prior to joining the Blue Raiders’ staff in 2019, Gilstrap was the cornerbacks coach at Florida A&M in 2018 under current FIU coach Willie Simmons.
He spent 2017 coaching cornerbacks at Arkansas-Monticello after spending two seasons (2015-16) as a graduate assistant at Middle Tennessee.
A native of Ellenwood, Ga., Gilstrap played cornerback at Middle Tennessee from 2009-13. He was a four-year letter winner and 30-game starter who compiled 126 career tackles, three interceptions and 14 pass breakups. He was also a two-time conference champion in the 55-meter dash for the Blue Raiders’ track & field team.
Gilstrap graduated from Middle Tennessee in 2013 with a degree in liberal studies and earned his master’s degree in 2016 in administration and supervision.
Gilstrap has one son, Kenneth Gilstrap III.
Kenneth Gilstrap Timeline
| 2025-present |
FIU |
Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2023-24 |
UAB |
Secondary |
| 2022 |
Middle Tennessee |
Special Teams Coordinator/Cornerbacks |
| 2019-21 |
Middle Tennessee |
Cornerbacks |
| 2018 |
Florida A&M |
Cornerbacks |
| 2017 |
Arkansas-Monticello |
Cornerbacks |
| 2015-16 |
Middle Tennessee |
Graduate Assistant |
