Skip to main content
Ducks Digest

Tosh Lupoi Takes Inspiration From Oregon With Spring Game Tradition

With Oregon Ducks former defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi stepping into his first year of head coaching with the Cal Golden Bears, a new spring game tradition enacted by his team feels all too familiar to his former boss, Dan Lanning's, methods.
Ally Osborne|
Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi talks on the phone as Indiana speaks during a media day as the Oregon Ducks arrive on Jan. 7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi talks on the phone as Indiana speaks during a media day as the Oregon Ducks arrive on Jan. 7, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia ahead of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Oregon DucksCalifornia Golden Bears

On April 18, Cal Golden Bears coach Tosh Lupoi officially stepped on the field as the leader of a program, no longer a defensive coordinator for the Oregon Ducks. However, it appears his time in Eugene still sticks with him in the form of program traditions.

With Team Gold taking a 21-15 victory over Team Blue, Lupoi's new program congratulated the winning squad with a unique practice that's become one of the many hallmarks of coach Dan Lanning's tenure with the Ducks.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning, right, introduces singer Mat Kearney to fans after the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium Saturda
Oregon coach Dan Lanning, right, introduces singer Mat Kearney to fans after the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium Saturday, April 27, 2024. | Chris Pietsch/The Register Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Winner Winner, Steak and Crab Dinner

Posted on Tuesday to the @CalFootball X account, a video showed the Gold Team members dining on steak, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and crab legs. For the losing Blue Team, athletes had the menu items of hot dogs, baked beans, and mashed potatoes.

"Breakfast of champions, man," said Cal Football General Manager Ron Rivera as he loaded up on hot dogs after being one of the coaching ambassadors for the Blue Team.

Wait a Second...

For Duck fans squinting their eyes and saying, "Wait a second," this tradition is one that the Oregon Ducks have implemented since Lanning joined the program in 2022. With the loser meal jokingly named "Beanies and Weenies," the Ducks not only use this tradition as a way to instill a winning mindset in their athletes, but also as a silly media opportunity for their brand.

This practice can be traced as a sort of "calling card" for Lanning's coaching quirks, as an article from The Telegraph in 2019 remarks on Lanning utilizing this tradition as a way to motivate players during his time as defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Of course, offering an incentive for a spring game win is in no way an original idea from Lanning, but the coincidence of Lupoi implementing the same practice the first year away from his former program, which enacted the same tradition, feels like more than a coincidence.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi call the game against James Madison from the sidelines at Autze
Oregon coach Dan Lanning and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi call the game against James Madison from the sidelines at Autzen Stadium in Eugene Dec. 20, 2025. | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Similar Coaches, Similar Vibes

Perhaps one of the reasons Lupoi's new program is using an Oregon idea is due to the sheer amount of former Oregon staff members on the Golden Bears' staff.

Connor Boyd (safeties coach), Darrion Daniels (defensive line/pass rush specialist coach), Steven Haunga (tight ends coach/run game coordinator), Jordan Somerville (quarterbacks coach), Zach Tinker (special teams coordinator), and Zac Diles (assistant director of player personnel) all have recent (within the past six years) connections to the Ducks program.

Given that the Ducks and Cal are already battling for similar athletes on the recruiting trail, it makes sense that there are also a few coaching ideas that have made their way down South to California.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Nick Saban on the ESPN College Gameday set during the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Nick Saban on the ESPN College Gameday set during the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dan Lanning Borrows Coaching Philosophies from Nick Saban

When it comes to leading a team, coaching philosophy can include bits and pieces of those that came before. For Lanning, former Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban is a major influence on the mindset he leads with in Eugene.

"More than anything, I bounce a lot of thoughts off of him and see if he has any insight because this guy has a ton of experience. He’s the best coach to ever do it. I think he has an unbelievable ability to look at things from a backseat approach, big picture view, see how it affects the program, and then stand his guns on certain things that he thinks are non-negotiable," Lanning told Oregon Ducks on Sports Illustrated's Bri Amaranthus.

Coaches borrow ideas all the time. At least borrowing is an assurance that the idea is worth it's weight in crab, or steak, or "beanies and weenies."

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A born and raised Oregonian, Ally Osborne has a passion for sporting events across her home state. She began writing for Oregon Ducks on SI in 2021. Currently a morning talk show host and sports reporter for KOIN 6 and Portland's CW in Portland, Oregon, Ally is engrained in her community. Finding and sharing stories that highlight the unique culture and connectivity sports creates is a part of her DNA. She frequently contributes sports content to KOIN's broadcast and streaming platforms while hosting talk show "Everyday Northwest" and video podcast "Tower Talk Live" every weekday. With Portland being her third-worked television market (second in Oregon), Osborne brings hard-news and feature-reporting experience to compliment her expertise for sports storytelling. Her journalistic endeavors and art creations (many of which are inspired by the Oregon Ducks) can be found on her social media pages. Ally graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. 

Home/Football