The Oregon Ducks are preparing for a potential shake-up on both sides of the ball - and it’s not just about the College Football Playoff. Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is reportedly set to return to his alma mater, California, as the Golden Bears’ next head coach. If the deal gets finalized, it would mark a full-circle moment for Lupoi, who once starred on the defensive line for Cal and began his coaching career there.
Lupoi has been a central figure in Oregon’s rise under Dan Lanning since 2022. His defenses haven’t just been good - they’ve been elite.
Oregon finished the 2025 regular season ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense, giving up just 14.8 points per game. That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident.
Lupoi’s units have been fast, physical, and disciplined - a reflection of both his NFL experience and his time under Nick Saban at Alabama, where he climbed from analyst to defensive coordinator.
But now, Lupoi is headed back to Berkeley, where he’ll take over a Cal program that’s looking for a spark. The Bears finished 7-5 this season, but a brutal 31-10 loss to rival Stanford on Nov. 23 was the final straw for former head coach Justin Wilcox, who was let go after nine seasons. Wilcox leaves with a 48-55 record, and while Cal managed to stay afloat during its transition from the Pac-12 to the ACC, a 12-12 record (5-10 in conference play) over the past two years wasn’t enough to justify another season.
Enter Lupoi, a proven recruiter with deep West Coast ties and a resume that includes both college and NFL stops. His first major task?
Convince star freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele to stick around. The young QB showed serious promise this season, completing over 63% of his passes for 3,116 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
He’s got the arm, the poise, and the upside to be a game-changer in the ACC - but with the transfer portal wide open, Lupoi will need to act fast to keep him in Berkeley.
If Sagapolutele stays, Lupoi walks into a much more favorable situation. Cal’s offense has potential, but the defense is where he’ll need to make his mark.
The Bears ranked 76th nationally in scoring defense this year, allowing 26.5 points per game - a far cry from the standard Lupoi set at Oregon. That’ll be the side of the ball under the microscope in Year 1.
Meanwhile, Dan Lanning now faces a different kind of challenge - one that comes with success. With Lupoi reportedly heading to Cal and offensive coordinator Will Stein set to take the head job at Kentucky, Lanning will have to replace both coordinators heading into 2026. That’s no small task, especially for a program with playoff aspirations.
The Ducks have built something special, but sustaining that success means hitting on two critical hires this offseason. As for Lupoi, he’s got a chance to revitalize a Cal program that’s been stuck in neutral for too long - and if he can keep his young quarterback in place, the Bears might just be ready to make some noise in the ACC.