Cal Hires Tosh Lupoi, The People's Choice

A Bay Area native, Cal grad and seemingly the people’s choice, Tosh Lupoi has been hired as the Golden Bears’ new head football coach, the athletic department confirmed Thursday night.

Lupoi, 44, comes home to Cal after spending the past four years as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon. The Athletic, citing sources familiar with negotiations, was the first to report the news.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Tosh and his family back home to Berkeley as our head football coach,” Cal football general manager Ron Rivera said in a statement. “Tosh is a true Golden Bear, and he understands and embraces the challenges and privileges of being a Cal student-athlete. His strong character, tireless work ethic, coaching acumen and recruiting talents all make him the perfect fit to lead us into the next great chapter of Cal football.”

Cal will introduce Lupoi on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at the Field Club in Memorial Stadium.

Tosh Lupoi | Photo courtesy of Cal Athletics

Lupoi sounds ready to help elevate his old school to new heights.

"I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to come home," Lupoi said. "Cal is a special place that shaped me, and it’s an incredible honor to return to Berkeley and lead this football program. I’m energized by the challenge ahead and excited to unite our players, alumni, and supporters.

"We will build a tough, disciplined, and relentlessly competitive team that represents Cal with pride, while always committing to academic excellence. I can’t wait to get to work and compete every single day for this program and this community. It’s time!"

Rivera told reporters he began the search process with a list of 14 names. But Lupoi’s popularity among Cal fans and especially on social media seemed to drive his candidacy.

His selection got an enthusiastic endorsement from Ducks head coach Dan Lanning, and public support from former Cal stars DeSean Jackson and Cameron Jordan.

“Cal gave me Coach Lupoi, who has been the greatest coach I’ve had and has helped develop techniques that come natural to me as well as introduce new techniques and do it in a way the players gravitate to want to learn them,” Jordan, an eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end with the New Orleans Saints, wrote on social media.

Cal Chancellor Rich Lyons echoed Rivera's enthusiasm about bringing Lupoi back to Berkeley.

“After extensive conversations with Tosh, and consultation with many other people, I’m convinced he has the skillset, experience and personal qualities needed to build a best-in-class football program at UC Berkeley -- one that operates in a manner consistent with our university’s values and unwavering commitment to excellence,” Lyons said.

“Tosh knows firsthand, and embraces the importance of, our culture that supports outstanding experiences for our student-athletes in the classroom, in competition and in our community. I look forward to partnering with Ron and Tosh as they and the team chart a new course and this new future for Cal football.”

Lupoi will remain through the end of the season with Oregon, which will participate in the 12-team College Football Playoffs, according to the Oregonian. Nick Rolovich, promoted from senior offensive analyst to interim head coach after Justin Wilcox’s firing, will coach the Bears in their bowl game.

Lupoi's salary at Oregon has been reported as $2 million, but a buyout wil be waived because he is becoming an FBS head coach.

Regarded as a tireless recruiter, Lupoi already may be pursuing one of Oregon's top 2027 targets, North Carolina 4-star defensive end prospect Rashad Streets, according to a report by Ducks' recruiting expert Max Torres.

Tosh Lupoi wasting no time going after one of his top targets at Oregon in the 2027 class. https://t.co/9V2tEAgNyh
— Max Torres (@mtorressports) December 5, 2025

Lupoi has no head-coaching experience, but seems to check all the other boxes in terms of qualifications Rivera was seeking. He grew up in nearby Walnut Creek and played at De La Salle High School during the Spartans’ national-record 151-game win streak.

And he understands Cal, having played defensive line for the Bears from 2000 through ’05 under coach Jeff Tedford. He remained in Berkeley as a graduate assistant for two years before being promoted at age 26 to a full-time assistant, a position he held for four seasons through 2011.

Lupoi also reportedly has a relationship with Cal freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolotele, who spent a month on the Oregon team late last season before flipping back to Cal, which originally signed him as a high school prospect out of Hawaii. Their familiarity may aid in the Bears keeping Sagapolutele out of the transfer portal.

A two-time Broyles Award finalist as the nation's top assistant coach, Lupoi directs an Oregon defense that ranks third nationally in total defense and pass defense, eighth in fewest points allowed and 20th against the run this fall.

After his time at Cal, Lupoi coached the defensive line at Washington (2012-13) then five seasons at Alabama under coach Nick Saban, promoted to defensive coordinator in 2018. He was part of teams compiled a record of 57-6, advanced to the playoffs every year and won national championships in 2015 and ‘17.

He coached the defensive line for three seasons in the NFL, working with the Cleveland Browns (2019), Atlanta Falcons (2020) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2021).

Lupoi replaces Wilcox, who led the Bears to four bowl games in nine seasons but departed with a career win-loss record of 48-55. Until their 38-35 upset of SMU last Saturday — six days after Wilcox was dismissed — Cal hadn’t had a winning season since 2019.

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