Tosh Lupoi Reportedly Set to Take Over at Cal: A Familiar Name for Browns Fans
It’s not the head coaching news Cleveland Browns fans might’ve had on their wish list this week, but it’s still a headline with ties to the Dawg Pound. Tosh Lupoi - a name that might ring a bell for those who followed the Browns closely during the Freddie Kitchens era - is reportedly set to become the next head coach at Cal.
Now, let’s zoom out for a second. College football’s coaching carousel has been spinning at a dizzying pace lately.
Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU grabbed the national spotlight, especially after Brian Kelly’s exit and James Franklin’s departure from Penn State. Kiffin’s jump to Baton Rouge and Franklin landing at Virginia Tech have set off a domino effect across the FBS landscape.
Penn State, for instance, lost their top target to BYU, while Cal looks to be zeroing in on Lupoi, currently the defensive coordinator at Oregon.
For Browns fans, Lupoi’s name might trigger a few memories from the 2019 season - a turbulent year under head coach Freddie Kitchens. Lupoi served as Cleveland’s defensive line coach during that stretch, working directly with star pass rusher Myles Garrett.
At the time, Garrett was coming off a season where many felt his potential was being capped by scheme limitations under then-DC Gregg Williams. Lupoi, to his credit, emphasized tailoring his coaching to each player’s strengths - a refreshing approach for a player like Garrett, whose rare blend of power and speed demands creative deployment.
Lupoi’s coaching résumé is steeped in the college game. Before his brief stint in the NFL, he spent years climbing the ladder in the NCAA ranks, including a high-profile run as Alabama’s defensive coordinator in 2017 and 2018.
That Bama defense? Loaded, disciplined, and relentless - everything you’d expect from a Nick Saban-led unit with Lupoi calling the shots.
After his year in Cleveland, Lupoi stuck around the NFL for two more seasons before heading back to college in 2022 to take over Oregon’s defense. Now, if the reports hold, he’s getting his first shot at running a program - and doing it back in the Pac-12 (or whatever version of it remains in this era of realignment chaos).
Lupoi’s move is part of a broader trend we’re seeing with former NFL assistants carving out new roles in the college game. The Browns’ coaching tree has quietly spread across campuses nationwide.
Freddie Kitchens is now at UNC, while Rob Chudzinski is on staff at Boston College. And with the landscape of college football shifting dramatically thanks to NIL deals and the ever-active transfer portal, the job of a college head coach is more demanding than ever.
It’s not just about game day anymore - it’s recruiting, managing rosters, navigating player movement, and building a culture in an environment that’s constantly evolving.
That’s why Jeff Hafley’s recent decision to leave his head coaching post at Boston College to become the Packers’ defensive coordinator raised some eyebrows. It’s a reminder that, for some coaches, the NFL - even in a non-head-coaching role - offers a more focused, football-first lifestyle.
As for Lupoi, this is a big step. Cal is a program with history and potential, but it’s also one that’s looking for a spark. If he can bring the same energy and adaptability he showed in Cleveland and at Alabama, he might just be the right fit to lead the Bears into their next chapter.
And for Browns fans? It’s always worth keeping an eye on familiar faces. You never know when paths will cross again.