Tosh Lupoi

Last updated

Tosh Lupoi
Tosh Lupoi 2025.png
Lupoi in 2025
Current position
Title Head Coach
Team California
Conference ACC
Biographical details
Born (1981-07-22) July 22, 1981 (age 44)
Walnut Creek, California, U.S.
Playing career
2000–2005 California
Position Defensive Lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2008–2011 California (DL)
2012–2013 Washington (DL)
2014–2015 Alabama (DA)
2016 Alabama (OLB)
2017 Alabama (Co-DC/OLB)
2018 Alabama (DC/OLB)
2019 Cleveland Browns (DL)
2020 Atlanta Falcons (DL/RGC)
2021 Jacksonville Jaguars (DL)
2022–2025 Oregon (DC/LB)
2026–present California
Accomplishments and honors
Championships

Tosh Lupoi (born July 22, 1981) is the head coach for the University of California. He is also serving as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon until the end the playoff run for that team, splitting duties between California and Oregon.

Contents

A Bay Area native, [1] Lupoi played high school football at De La Salle High School in Concord, California, and was a defensive lineman for Cal from 2000 to 2005, achieving Pac-10 all-academic honors. He coached the defensive line at Cal from 2008 to 2011, coached at Washington and Alabama before starting his NFL coaching career.

Before Oregon he served as the defensive line coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, the defensive line and run game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020, the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2019 and the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at the University of Alabama from 2017 to 2018. Lupoi was hired as the head coach of the Golden Bears at UC Berkeley in December of 2025, returning to his alma mater after almost 14 years. [2] [3]

Playing career

As a player, Lupoi was a defensive lineman for Cal from 2000 to 2005. He led the Bears' defensive line in tackles in 2003 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic recognition in 2005. [4]

Coaching career

Early career

In 2008, Lupoi was hired as a defensive line coach at his alma mater, University of California, Berkeley. [5] During his time as a Cal coach, Lupoi developed a reputation as an elite recruiter, being named as National Recruiter of the year by recruiting site Rivals.com in 2010. [6] Lupoi was suspended in 2010 after admitting to telling a player to fake an injury in a game against Oregon. [7]

Lupoi was then hired by Steve Sarkisian to be the defensive line coach for University of Washington, serving in the role from 2012 to 2013. Several recruits, most notably five-star Shaq Thompson elected to follow him to the Huskies. [8]

Lupoi joined the Crimson Tide staff as a defensive analyst in 2014 [9] and coached the outside linebackers in 2015. He added the title of co-defensive coordinator prior to the 2016 season and served as defensive coordinator in 2018. During his time at Alabama, the Crimson Tide qualified for the College Football Playoffs all five seasons, advanced to the National Championship game four times and captured two national titles (2015 and 2017). During his time as coordinator, Alabama led the nation in scoring defense in 2016 (13.0 ppg) and 2017 (11.9). The school also finished second in the nation in total defense in 2016 (260.4 ypg) and 2017 (261.8 ypg). Lupoi worked with several players who went on to be first-round picks in the NFL, including DE Jonathan Allen, LB Reuben Foster, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, NT Daron Payne and LB Rashaan Evans. [10]

NFL

On January 18, 2019, Lupoi was hired by the Cleveland Browns as their defensive line coach under head coach Freddie Kitchens. [11]

On January 11, 2020, Lupoi was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as their defensive line coach and run game coordinator under head coach Dan Quinn. [12]

On February 11, 2021, Lupoi was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars as their defensive line coach under head coach Urban Meyer. [13]

Oregon Ducks

On January 10, 2022, Lupoi was hired by the Oregon Ducks as their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under head coach Dan Lanning. [14]

California Golden Bears

On December 4, 2025, Lupoi was named the 35th head coach of the California Golden Bears, marking a return to his alma mater after 14 seasons. [3] Lupoi's buyout of $2 million from Oregon was waived since he was assuming a position as a head coach, and he was encouraged to take the position by Lanning. [15] [16]

Lupoi will be allowed to coach Oregon's defense for the rest of the 2025 season as the Ducks are expected to make the College Football Playoff. [17]

Notable players coached

Lupoi has coached over ten then future NFL players, including 2019 NFL draft picks Quinnen Williams, Christian Miller, Deionte Thompson, Mack Wilson, and Isaiah Buggs, 2017 draft picks Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams, 2012 draft pick Trevor Guyton, 2011 draft pick Cameron Jordan, and 2010 draft pick Tyson Alualu.

References

  1. ↑ Sanders, De'Aundre (December 5, 2025). "Tosh Lupoi officially named Cal's 35th Head Coach". KVAL. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Cal hires Tosh Lupoi as head coach, bringing former player back to lead the Bears". AP News. December 5, 2025. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Tosh Lupoi Named Travers Family Head Football Coach". California Golden Bears Athletics. December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Cal introduces new football head coach Tosh Lupoi - CBS San Francisco". cbsnews.com. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Tosh Lupoi". Saturday Down South. February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  6. ↑ Hiserman, Mike (November 27, 2010). "Fake injury has real consequences for Cal assistant coach". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Cal Suspends Coach For Having Player Fake Injury". CBS San Francisco. November 27, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
  8. ↑ Crumpacker, John (November 2, 2012). "Cal football loses ace recruiter to Washington". SFGate.
  9. ↑ Kirpalani, Sanjay (January 24, 2015). "Tosh Lupoi Hire Is Huge for Alabama Football Recruiting". Bleacher Report. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Tosh Lupoi". AtlantaFalcons.com. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
  11. ↑ Risdon, Jeff (May 30, 2019). "Browns DL coach Tosh Lupoi will not limit Myles Garrett". Browns Wire. USA Today. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  12. ↑ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (January 11, 2020). "Falcons hire Tosh Lupoi as defensive line/run game coordinator". AJC.com. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Oehser, John (February 11, 2021). "Official: Cullen, defensive staff named". www.jaguars.com. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ Reubenking, Dylan (January 10, 2022). "Tosh Lupoi Officially Hired as Oregon's Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Coach". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  15. ↑ Crepea, James (December 5, 2025). "Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi to become Cal's head coach". The Oregonian . Retrieved December 5, 2025. Lupoi is earning $2 million this season at Oregon and his buyout to leave is waived because he's becoming an FBS head coach.
  16. ↑ Crepea, James (November 25, 2025). "Dan Lanning endorses Tosh Lupoi as Cal begins head coaching search". The Oregonian . Retrieved December 5, 2025. "He'll make an outstanding head coach when the opportunity comes that he wants and makes sense for him," Lanning said. "Anybody that wouldn't look at him would be crazy. He does an unbelievable job. He has a reputation of doing an unbelievable job as a recruiter, but that's not all that he is. He is an unbelievable coach. He can coach every position on defense, understands offensive ball, puts in the time and effort. When he gets his opportunity, I know he'll kill it, and at some point that'll happen."
  17. ↑ Skopil, Erik (December 3, 2025). "Dan Lanning confirms that both Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi will coach during Oregon's CFP ru". 247sports.com. 247 Sports.
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