New Cal football coach Tosh Lupoi ready to attack all aspects of his dream job

BERKELEY New Cal football coach Tosh Lupoi was in attack mode on his first day on the job Lupoi used the word over and over Friday during his introductory news conference to describe how he will approach everything from recruiting to hiring a staff to keeping his players on task academically to winning football games I do it a lot he revealed when questioned about applying the word to nearly all things It s how I wake up how I m programmed how I m wired We re not going to be sitting around tables doing a lot of complaining I can promise you that It s going to be about attacking solutions I love using descriptive and visual words and I learned selected of that in my Master s schooling venture here at Cal Berkeley BERKELEY CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER L-R New head coach Tosh Lupoi and General Manager Ron Rivera pose for photos during a press conference to introduce Lupoi as the new head football coach for the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium on December in Berkeley California Photo by Thearon W Henderson Getty Images Lupoi returns to Cal to become a head coach for the first time as Justin Wilcox s successor after four seasons as defensive coordinator at Oregon He spent six seasons - as a athlete and novice at Cal then six more - to start his coaching career He was celebrated by about former teammates included among fans boosters and staff at the Field Club in Memorial Stadium during a one-hour scheme also featuring Chancellor Rich Lyons and football general manager Ron Rivera Signed to a five-year contract Thursday night Lupoi gives the Bears a true alignment of three leaders all of whom were undergrads at Cal Tosh gets this place announced Lyons the first Cal graduate to return as chancellor Rivera revealed getting to know Lupoi over the past week convinced him of something he didn t think was realizable I didn t think anybody else could love this university as much as me he disclosed Lupoi commented it s become a clich too often used but established This is a dream job for me This place means everything to me Lyons referenced Lupoi s super-power skills especially his passionate and relentless recruiting efforts which contributed to what Rivera reported ultimately was a no-brainer decision Lupoi who also has coached defense at Washington Alabama and for three NFL teams has spent the past four seasons at Oregon He will remain with the Ducks for as long as they are alive through the College Football Playoff but will also devote crucial attention to his new assignment even making quick return trips to the Bay Area when his schedule allows An East Bay native who never lost a battle during his career at De La Salle High School Lupoi stated he is accustomed to getting limited sleep and acknowledged the next month will be busy The CFP championship tournament is not until Jan three days after the Jan - transfer portal window closes so that complicates Lupoi wearing two hats at once He disclosed he will visit with current players on the phone or via Zoom while Rivera and others on the current staff will work things from this end Lupoi met with the full group Friday morning but has not engaged in individual discussions with players yet Clearly retaining freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele who will lead the Bears against Hawaii in the Dec Hawaii Bowl is a priority He s already established himself here quite a bit I m talking off the field the leadership the relationships Lupoi commented I m extremely excited to meet Jaron meet the family and start that process with him I m absolutely pumped to attack this process together Lupoi talked about how at his two previous schools as defensive coordinator he developed relationships with the quarterbacks that included Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts at Alabama under Nick Saban at Alabama and Bo Nix Dillon Gabriel and now Dante Moore at Oregon under Dan Lanning We would challenge the quarterback to come into my office and to see things from the perspective that I do he explained To be able to offer that to the offensive players how a quarterback can see that and how that can raise the level of play from him Beyond that he added Every one of those guys I just mentioned are going to be a part of JKS s life moving forward Related Articles Cal Bears get early bowl invitation will spend Christmas Eve in Hawaii Cal rides Sagapolutele s late-game magic to upset win over No SMU on an emotional night Sagapolutele leads Cal to a - upset win over No SMU in final minute What to know before Cal hosts No SMU in first battle of post-Justin Wilcox era Cal interim head coach has powerful message for Bears heading into event against No SMU Lupoi commented he will not rush the process of hiring assistant coaches and did not rule out retaining anyone from the existing staff including interim head coach Nick Rolovich whom he called an excellent coach But he also revealed he s heard from multiple high-level NFL coaches and coaches at the best programs in the country who want to come work here he explained adding that he already has interviewed three candidates I think JKS has something to do with that I think Ron Rivera has something to do with that I hope I have something to do with that