(BCSNN) -- Tosh Lupoi, a former California defensive lineman and assistant coach known for his dynamic recruiting and defensive acumen, has been named the Travers Family Head Football Coach, Cal football general manager Ron Rivera announced Thursday.

Lupoi, who played for the Golden Bears from 2000–05 and later coached Cal’s defensive line, returns to Berkeley as the 35th head coach in program history. He most recently served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon, where the Ducks ranked among the nation’s top defenses in 2025 and Lupoi earned consecutive Broyles Award semifinalist honors.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Tosh and his family back home to Berkeley,” Rivera said. “Tosh is a true Golden Bear. His strong character, tireless work ethic, coaching acumen and recruiting talents make him the perfect fit to lead us into the next great chapter of Cal football.”

Lupoi’s résumé includes two national championships at Alabama, where he coached outside linebackers and served as defensive coordinator under Nick Saban. He also spent time in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and Jacksonville Jaguars, working with All-Pro talents such as Myles Garrett and Dawuane Smoot.

At Washington, Lupoi helped transform the Huskies’ defense, guiding them from near the bottom of national rankings to top-40 status while landing one of the program’s highest-rated recruiting classes in a decade. His reputation as a recruiter was cemented at Cal, where he helped sign two top-15 classes and developed first-round draft picks Cameron Jordan and Tyson Alualu.

“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to come home,” Lupoi said. “Cal is a special place that shaped me, and it’s an incredible honor to return to Berkeley and lead this football program. We will build a tough, disciplined, and relentlessly competitive team that represents Cal with pride, while always committing to academic excellence.”

UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons praised the hire, noting Lupoi’s alignment with the university’s values. “Tosh knows firsthand the importance of our culture that supports outstanding experiences for student-athletes in the classroom, in competition and in our community,” Lyons said.

Lupoi graduated from Cal in 2005 with a degree in American studies and completed coursework toward a master’s in education. He was a Pac-10 All-Academic honoree as a senior and led the Bears’ defensive line in tackles in 2003.

With his return, Cal looks to usher in a new era of competitiveness in the Pac-12, led by one of its own.