 Lupoi in 2025 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | California |
| Conference | ACC |
| Record | 0–0 |
| 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 |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 0–0 |
Tosh Lupoi (born July 22, 1981) is an Americancollege football coach who is thehead football coach at theUniversity of California, Berkeley.
Lupoi grew up in the Bay Area and was raised in a Mormon household.[1][2]
Lupoi played high school football atDe La Salle High School inConcord, California, and was a defensive lineman for Cal from 2000 to 2005.
As a player, Lupoi led the Bears' defensive line in tackles in 2003 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic recognition in 2005.[3]
Initially recruited to play underTom Holmoe, Cal only won a combined total of four games in Lupoi's first two years of college football.[4] Lupoi first achieved college football success whenJeff Tedford became Cal's head coach in 2002.[5] Lupoi and Cal won 26 games over the next three years playing under coach Tedford.
Tedford would go on to give Lupoi his first football-related job after Lupoi completed his eligibility and graduated from Cal.[6]
Lupoi served as a graduate assistant for two years at his alma mater, TheUniversity of California, Berkeley. In 2008, Lupoi was hired as a defensive line coach at Cal.[7] 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 siteRivals.com in 2010.[8] Lupoi was suspended in 2010 after admitting to telling a player to fake an injury in a game against Oregon.[9]
Lupoi was then hired bySteve Sarkisian to be the defensive line coach forUniversity of Washington, serving in the role from 2012 to 2013.
In connection with Lupoi's departure from Cal to Washington, several highly ranked recruits who had previously committed to Cal, including five-star defensive playerShaq Thompson, broke their commitments to Cal and instead followed Lupoi to the Huskies.[10]
During his time at Washington, Lupoi was listed as a participant on extravagant bar tabs that were later released publicly in the wake of Steve Sarkisian's termination from USC.[11] On 8 November 2013 atRibby's Ribs inNashville, "Sarkisian and three assistants [including Tosh Lupoi] ordered four shots of Patron Silver, four shots of an unspecified liquor and five beers. The coach cashed out at 11:53 a.m."[12]
Lupoi's time in Washington did not last long. He was not retained by new Washington coachChris Petersen after Sarkisian left Washington for USC. Sarkisian chose not to hire Lupoi at USC, as Lupoi was under investigation for alleged recruiting violations at Washington, for which he was later acquitted.[13]
After a period of unemployment, Lupoi joined the Crimson Tide staff as a defensive analyst in 2014[14] 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 DEJonathan Allen, LBReuben Foster, SMinkah Fitzpatrick, NTDaron Payne and LBRashaan Evans.[15]
On January 18, 2019, Lupoi was hired by theCleveland Browns as their defensive line coach under head coachFreddie Kitchens.[16]
On January 11, 2020, Lupoi was hired by theAtlanta Falcons as their defensive line coach and run game coordinator under head coachDan Quinn.[17]
On February 11, 2021, Lupoi was hired by theJacksonville Jaguars as their defensive line coach under head coachUrban Meyer.[18]
On January 10, 2022, Lupoi was hired by theOregon Ducks as their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under head coachDan Lanning.[19]
Lupoi was allowed to coach Oregon's defense for the 2025 Ducks'College Football Playoff run,[20] which ended with a 56-22 loss to eventual national championIndiana in thePeach Bowl.
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.[21] 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.[22][23]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Golden Bears(Atlantic Coast Conference)(2026–present) | |||||||||
| 2026 | California | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||||||
| California: | 0–0 | 0–0 | |||||||
| Total: | 0–0 | ||||||||
Lupoi is earning $2 million this season at Oregon and his buyout to leave is waived because he's becoming an FBS head coach.
"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."