Jacksonville Jaguars expected to hire Tosh Lupoi as defensive line coach, per report

The dominoes continue to fall for the new Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff under head coach Urban Meyer. The latest news being reported is that veteran defensive coach Tosh Lupoi is expected to join Meyer’s staff as a defensive line coach, according to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic and FOX Sports.

Lupoi most recently served as defensive line coach and run game coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. According to Feldman, there were several programs in the college ranks that wanted to add Lupoi as defensive coordinator this winter. He will instead head to Jacksonville.

Prior to his one-year stint in Atlanta, Lupoi worked as the defensive line coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The past two seasons spent in the NFL make up Lupoi’s only coaching experience in the professional ranks, but he has several years of college coaching as well.

Before making the move to the NFL, Lupoi worked under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2014 through 2018. Lupoi served as a defensive analyst in 2014 and 2015. He then took on the role of outside linebackers coach in 2016 and 2017, while also being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2017, alongside Jeremy Pruitt. When Pruitt took the head coaching job at Tennessee in 2018, Lupoi was named as Alabama’s sole defensive coordinator, while also still coaching the outside linebackers.

During his time at Alabama, Lupoi helped get multiple players drafted, such as defensive end Jonathan Allen, defensive tackle Daron Payne, safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick and linebacker Rashaan Evans, among others.

Prior to his time with the Crimson Tide, Lupoi was the defensive line coach for the Washington Huskies in 2012 and 2013, working for head coach Steve Sarkisian. Before that, Lupoi started his career at his alma mater, California, working as a defensive line coach for his former head coach, Jeff Tedford.

Lupoi played college football for the Cal Golden Bears from 2000 through 2005.