Tosh Lupoi, once one of college football’s rising-star assistant coaches, is poised to return to the Power 5 sidelines.
Multiple sources tell FootballScoop that Lupoi is expected to join first-year Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s staff as the Ducks’ defensive coordinator. On3 first reported the news of Lupoi's expected addition to the Oregon staff.
It’s a key staff win for Lanning in the early stages of forming his first group of assistant coaches; sources had indicated to FootballScoop within the past two weeks that new Miami (Florida) coach Mario Cristobal also had expressed interest in Lupoi for a key position on the Hurricanes’ staff.
A former national-championship-winning assistant coach at Alabama, Lupoi has spent the past three seasons as an NFL assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and, most recently, on Urban Meyer’s failed Jacksonville Jaguars staff.
In addition to being known as a good technician along the defensive line, Lupoi also has long been recognized as one of college football’s top recruiters. He also was linked to a potential spot on Billy Napier’s Florida Gators staff, though sources close to that program expressed that Lupoi was never a strong factor to join the Florida staff.
Lupoi has deep roots in the Pac-12, where Lanning is taking over after Cristobal’s decision to return to his alma mater, Miami. Lupoi cracked into coaching on the West Coast with stints as the defensive line coach for both the Cal Golden Bears and Washington Huskies programs.
By the time Lupoi joined Nick Saban’s Alabama staff, he ended up rising to the role of defensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide – and Lupoi also expanded his coaching skill-set when he shifted from working with defensive linemen to coaching the Tide’s linebacking units.
Lupoi’s impending addition into the top defensive assistant spot is another step forward for Lanning, who has added Kenny Dillingham to lead the Ducks’ offense as its coordinator. Additionally, Adrian Klemm is set to serve as Oregon’s offensive line coach and associate head coach.
Former Colorado assistant Demetrice Martin also is set to coach the Ducks’ cornerbacks.
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