Tosh Lupoi Reportedly in Contract Talks to Become Cal HC, What to Know About Oregon DC

Cal reportedly is closing in on its next head coach.

Per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Chris Vannini, Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is in negotiations to take over as the Bears' head coach following Justin Wilcox's firing last month.

Lupoi is from the Bay Area and played defensive lineman for Cal from 2000-05. He joined the Bears staff as a defensive line coach in 2008 and stayed in that role until 2011.

He was then a defensive line coach at Washington and served various roles at Alabama before taking over as the Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator in 2017. In 2019, Lupoi left Tuscaloosa to join the NFL ranks and served as a defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.

He returned to the collegiate ranks in 2022, joining Dan Lanning's staff at Oregon as the Ducks' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Lupoi has helped give the Ducks one of the best defenses in the country this year. Oregon ranks eighth nationally in points allowed per game (14.8) and third in yards allowed per game (251.6). The Ducks are 11-1 this season and are in position to reach the College Football Playoff for a second consecutive season.

Lupoi's potential departure to Cal would mark the second Oregon staffer to leave this season. Kentucky hired the Ducks' offensive coordinator, Will Stein, on Monday.

Cal fired Wilcox in November after the Bears' loss to rival Stanford. He had been at the helm for nine seasons before his departure, amassing a 48-55 record. Cal finished the regular season 7-5, closing things out with an upset win over SMU on Saturday.