Tosh Lupoi is Cal’s head coach now, but he isn’t walking away from unfinished business in Eugene. With Oregon locked into the College Football Playoff, the Ducks’ defensive coordinator made it clear this week that he will see the season through before turning the page, shutting down any notion of stepping aside during the program’s postseason run.

“I made it clear on every one of those Thursday night interviews that I will not participate or even consider the job without finishing through our season,” Tosh Lupoi said after Tuesday’s practice on December 16. “So ultimately, that was a bit of a deal breaker for another place. And that’s fine. I respect their process. But that was very clear.”

There was no tug-of-war behind the scenes, either. Lupoi explained that no lengthy discussion with head coach Dan Lanning was required. The understanding was mutual. Walking away from the staff and players who helped elevate both his career and his family was never something he entertained.

“I want to finish what we started here,” Tosh Lupoi added. “This has been an amazing year, to be a part of this group, what they’ve accomplished and how they’ve played as a whole team. But certainly for myself on the defensive side of ball, it’s something that we’re all really proud of.”

The significance of that decision becomes clearer when measured against Oregon’s results. Entering the final week of the regular season, Oregon ranked third nationally in total defense, eighth in scoring defense, third against the pass, and 15th against the run. The Ducks allow fewer than 15 points per game and are a top-10 team on both sides of the ball, something that had not been consistently true at this program for decades. That transformation did not happen without Tosh Lupoi’s fingerprints everywhere.

Lupoi’s influence is impossible to miss. A midstream exit would have sent shockwaves through Oregon’s postseason run, risking the kind of disruption that can unravel even the most talented rosters at the worst possible moment.

Now in his fourth season at Eugene, Tosh Lupoi has validated the reputation that already followed him from Alabama and the NFL. He was viewed as an elite recruiter and defensive teacher long before 2025. This season turned that perception into consensus. Oregon’s defense has been the consistent force behind the Ducks’ run to the No. 5 seed, even on days when the offense needed time to find its footing. That reality makes the DC’s loyalty strategic. Dan Lanning is risking nothing by trusting him. In fact, he is preserving the foundation of this playoff push.

Dan Lanning has been open about Tosh Lupoi’s value when the Cal job opened up. He said anyone who would not look at his DC as a head coach would be crazy. He praised his ability to coach every position on defense, his understanding of offensive football, and the work ethic that shows up daily.

“He’ll make an outstanding head coach when the opportunity comes that he wants and makes sense for him,” Lanning said. 

That opportunity has arrived, but Tosh Lupoi just decided to delay it by a few weeks. Players expected nothing less. Outside LB Matayo Uiagalelei said Lupoi is a “ride or die” coach. Teitum Tuioti said the team started this together and plans to finish it together. Those comments reflect trust built over years, not months. 

Tosh Lupoi is not alone in navigating two jobs. OC Will Stein, now the head coach at Kentucky, is doing the same. Cal’s leadership understands what it is getting. He played there from 2001 to 2005 and coached there early in his career. His commitment to Oregon should reassure them, not worry them. It signals how seriously he takes responsibility.

Tosh Lupoi’s transition is already underway

Tosh Lupoi has already begun assembling his staff at Cal. His most recent hire is Jordan Somerville as OC. Somerville spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant QBs coach, where Baker Mayfield revived his career. He previously worked at Oregon as an offensive assistant, extending Dan Lanning’s coaching tree yet again. Lanning has only been a head coach for four years, and three assistants from his orbit are already leading programs of their own. But first, there is a playoff game to really lock on. 

Oregon and James Madison have never met. They share no common opponents. The Ducks finished No. 5 in the final CFP poll, one spot shy of a bye, with their only loss coming against No. 1 Indiana in Week 7. They survived close calls against Penn State and Iowa, but every other win came by multiple scores. They’re led by redshirt sophomore QB Dante Moore threw 24 touchdowns against six interceptions.

Meanwhile, JMU enters at 11-1 after dominating the Sun Belt. The Dukes average nearly 450 yards per game and rank fifth nationally in rushing. Wayne Knight has 1,263 rushing yards and averages 6.65 per carry, while senior QB Alonza Barnett III has accounted for 35 total touchdowns. What JMU has not faced is a defense like Oregon’s. That reality is the final test for Tosh Lupoi before he moves on. And he intends to see it through.

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