Keith Heyward

Biography

Travers Family Head Football Coach Tosh Lupoi announced the return of Keith Heyward as the Bears' defensive pass game coordinator on January 15, 2026. Heyward began his second stint with the Golden Bears in March of 2025 as a defensive backs coach. He served as Cal's outside linebackers coach in 2021. Prior to his return to Cal, Heyward served as the defensive coordinator at Oregon State for a season. In 2023, he served as a defensive quality control coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. Before his lone season in the NFL, he spent one season as UNLV's defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Prior to his two years in the desert, he coached safeties at Oregon for four seasons and served as co-defensive coordinator for his last three seasons. In 2016, Heyward coached defensive backs at Louisville. Prior to Louisville, he served as USC's passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. From 2012 to 2013, Heyward coached the secondary at the University of Washington. His first full-time coaching stop at the FBS level was at his Alma Mater, Oregon State, where he coached the Beaver's secondary for four seasons (2008-11). His first coaching stop came in 2007 at Cal Poly, where he was the team's linebackers coach. Out of college, Heyward stepped into coaching at Oregon State as a defensive graduate assistant for two seasons (2005-06). As a player, he was a four-year letterman (1997-2000) for Oregon State, starting 35 consecutive games and was part of OSU's 2000 11-win season. He a