Football
0-0
(0-0 ACC)
Cal Bears Football Coaching Staff
Last Game
SMU
Win
38-35
Nov 29, 2025
Berkeley, CA
Next Game
UCLA
Sep 5
Berkeley, CA
Tosh Lupoi
Head Coach
Lupoi comes home to Berkeley to become the 35th head coach in program history after spending the past four seasons as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Oregon. He also won a pair of national championships during a five-year stint at Alabama, where he served as outside linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. Lupoi has additionally spent time on the coaching staff at the University of Washington and in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Lupoi was a defensive lineman for the Golden Bears from 2000-05 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors as a senior. He went on to coach Cal's defensive line from 2008-11, making him the youngest full-time coach in California football history when he joined the staff at age 26 in 2008. Lupoi proved to be a strong recruiter and talent developer, helping the Bears bring in two highly touted recruiting classes and producing two first-round NFL Draft picks on the defensive line.
"We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Tosh and his family back home to Berkeley as our head football coach," Rivera said. "Tosh is a true Golden Bear, and he understands and embraces the challenges and privileges of being a Cal student-athlete. His strong character, tireless work ethic, coaching acumen and recruiting talents all make him the perfect fit to lead us into the next great chapter of Cal football."
Lupoi has directed one of the top defenses in the country during his time at Oregon. The Ducks finished the 2025 regular season ranked third nationally in total defense (251.6 YPG), passing defense (144.3 YPG) and passing yards allowed (1,732), while ranking eighth in scoring defense (14.8 PPG) and 20th in rushing defense (107.25 YPG). On Tuesday, he was named a semifinalist for the Broyles Award - given to the nation's top assistant coach - for the second consecutive season.
"After extensive conversations with Tosh, and consultation with many other people, I'm convinced he has the skillset, experience and personal qualities needed to build a best-in-class football program at UC Berkeley - one that operates in a manner consistent with our university's values and unwavering commitment to excellence," UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons said. "Tosh knows firsthand, and embraces the importance of, our culture that supports outstanding experiences for our student-athletes in the classroom, in competition and in our community. I look forward to partnering with Ron and Tosh as they and the team chart a new course and this new future for Cal football."
At Alabama, Lupoi worked under legendary head coach Nick Saban and spent two seasons as co-defensive coordinator and his final year as the team's sole defensive coordinator. He coached the outside linebackers during his entire time with the Tide while helping Alabama reach four straight national championship games. In Lupoi's one season as the Tide's sole defensive coordinator, Alabama finished 12th nationally in scoring defense (17.8 PPG) and 16th in total defense (319.5 YPG). Lupoi helped develop All-Americans Quinnen Williams and Dieonte Thompson, with Williams winning the Outland Trophy as the nation's best interior lineman. Both were selected in the 2019 NFL Draft, with Williams going third overall to the New York Jets and Thompson chosen in the fifth round by the Arizona Cardinals.
"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. I'm energized by the challenge ahead and excited to unite our players, alumni, and supporters. We will build a tough, disciplined, and relentlessly competitive team that represents Cal with pride, while always committing to academic excellence. I can't wait to get to work and compete every single day for this program and this community. It's time!"
While in the NFL, Lupoi worked with multiple All-Pros and Pro Bowlers while elevating the defensive line play in each of his three stops. In Jacksonville, he worked with Dawuane Smoot, who put together a career year with 7.5 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss for Jacksonville. Prior to his one-year stint with the Jaguars, Lupoi served as the defensive line coach and run game coordinator in Atlanta. During his time with the Falcons, Atlanta allowed the sixth-fewest rushing yards in the NFL (1,677) and tied for seventh-fewest first downs on the ground (97). In his first NFL stop in Cleveland, Lupoi helped develop All-Pro Myles Garrett into a defensive force during his lone season with the Browns. Garrett racked up 10.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss while playing in 10 games during the 2019 season.
Lupoi accepted his first coaching job outside of Berkeley with the University of Washington, where he served as the defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator in 2012 and 2013. The Huskies went 16-10 during his two seasons, making the 2012 Las Vegas Bowl and the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl.
Prior to his arrival, Washington's scoring defense ranked 108th in the country and its total defense was ranked 106th. In his first season, the Huskies improved to 31st in the nation in total defense (357.4 YPG) and 39th in scoring defense (24.2 PPG). Lupoi also helped Washington land its highest-ranked recruiting class in a decade with the No. 18 class in the nation, according to 247Sports.
During his first coaching job with the Bears, Lupoi proved to be a strong recruiter and talent developer, helping bring in two highly touted recruiting classes and producing two first-round NFL Draft picks on the defensive line in Cameron Jordan and Tyson Alualu. The Bears led the Pac-12 in total defense twice during his tenure at Cal and Lupoi helped the Bears sign the No. 11 class in the nation in 2011, according to Rivals. Lupoi was named the 2010 Rivals Recruiter of the Year while helping the Bears reel in the nation's 14th-best recruiting class. Cal played in three bowl games during his time on the coaching staff.
As a player, Lupoi was a defensive lineman for the Bears from 2000-05. He led the Bears' defensive line in tackles in 2003 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic recognition in 2005. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in American studies in 2005 and completed coursework toward a master's in education.
Nick Rolovich
Asst Head Coach/QB Coach
Rolovich was named as the assistant head coach/QB coach under new head coach Tosh Lupoi.
Rolovich was named as Cal's interim head coach on Nov. 23, 2025. He is in his first season at Cal in 2025 and had been the team's senior offensive assistant prior to his current appointment.
Served as the head coach at Washington State (2020-21) and Hawai'i (2016-19).
Prior to leading the Rainbow Warriors, Rolovich spent four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Nevada from 2012-15.
Rolovich guided WSU to a 38-28 win at Oregon State in the 2020 season opener, becoming the first Cougar head football coach to win his debut since 2003 and first to win his first game on the road since 1977.
He mentored 11 student-athletes who received All-Pac-12 honors and WSU claimed the Pac-12's first two Freshman of the Week awards in 2020.
Rolovich's Run and Shoot offense produced two of the Pac-12's top three leaders in receiving yards during the season.
During his tenure in Honolulu, , he tallied a 28-27 overall record and led the Rainbow Warriors to three bowl games.
Rolovich guided the 2019 squad to its first 10-win season since 2010 as the Rainbow Warriors went 10-5, capped by a 38-34 win over BYU in the Hawaii Bowl.
2019 was the program's first back-to-back winning seasons since 2006-07 after going 8-6 in 2018 and only the seventh time in program history Hawai'i reached double-digit wins.
Earning 2019 Mountain West Coach of the Year honors, Rolovich's offense threw for 338.0 ypg (fifth nationally), while the Rainbow Warriors were 13th in the FBS in total offense at 471.0 ypg. In 2018 the UH offense racked up over 5,800 yards of offense, along with 43 touchdown passes. The aerial assault accounted for 30.8 points per game and 419 yards per contest.
At Nevada, Rolovich's Wolf Pack offense ranked as high as eighth nationally (2012) in total offense at 514.8 ypg, generating 2,786 yards passing with a rushing attack that ranked seventh nationally at 271 ypg.
Spending a total of eight seasons at Hawai'i, Rolovich served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2010-11 after leading the quarterbacks in 2008-09.
For the three years Rolovich had play-calling duties (2009-2011), the Warriors threw for 13,915 yards - an average of 347.9 yards per game - and 96 touchdowns. That includes the 2010 season in which Hawai'i averaged 394.29 yards per game and led the nation in passing offense while finishing sixth in the nation in total offense. That year, Rolovich guided quarterback Bryant Moniz to the top of the total offense chart nationally and to an eighth-place standing in passing efficiency.
Rolovich coached quarterbacks for two years at City College of San Francisco and began his coaching career as an assistant coach at San Marin High School in Novato.
The Novato native earned his bachelor's degree in economics from UH in 2004 and a master's in human performance and sport from New Mexico Highlands (2007).
Rolovich and his wife, Analea, have three sons, Daniel, William and Patrick, and one daughter, Alana.
Year-By-Year Coaching Positions
Season: Team – Coaching Position
2002: San Marin (Calif.) High School – Assistant Coach
2003-04: Hawai‘i – Student Assistant
2006-07: City College of San Francisco – Quarterbacks
2008-09: Hawai‘i – Quarterbacks
2010-11: Hawai‘i – Offensive Coordinator
2012-15: Nevada – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2016-2019: Hawai‘i – Head Coach
2020-21: Washington State – Head Coach
2025: California – Interim Head Coach/Senior Offensive Assistant
Jordan Somerville
Offensive Coordinator
Somerville has spent the last three seasons with the Buccaneers as the assistant quarterbacks coach working with Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield. Before his stint in Tampa Bay, Somerville spent time in the college ranks at Oregon, New Mexico and Arizona State.
Last season, Buccaneer quarterback Mayfield set career highs in completions (407), passing yards (4,500), passing touchdowns (41), completion percentage (71.4%) and passer rating (106.8). He finished second in the NFL in passing touchdowns, tied for second in completions, third in total touchdowns (44), third in completion percentage, fourth in passer rating and seventh in yards per attempt (7.9). Mayfield became the fourth player in NFL history to record a season with 4,000+ passing yards, 40+ touchdowns, and a 70+ completion percentage, joining Drew Brees (2011), Joe Burrow (2024) and Aaron Rodgers (2020).
In 2023, his first season coaching at the NFL level, Somerville helped in putting together a Pro Bowl campaign for Mayfield during his debut season in Tampa Bay. Mayfield set career highs in completions (364), completion percentage (63.4%), passing yards (4,044) and passing touchdowns (28) on his way to the 2023 Pro Football Writers of America Most Improved Player award.
Prior to the NFL, Somerville was an offensive analyst at Oregon. While with the Ducks, he was a part of an offensive staff that ranked sixth among Power 5 programs in scrimmage yards per game (500.5) and 10th in points per game (38.8). Somerville worked with future NFL quarterback Bo Nix and helped him finish fourth among all Power 5 quarterbacks in passer rating (165.7), while also finishing top 10 in passing yards (3,593), passing yards per attempt (8.78) and passing touchdowns (29).
Prior to Oregon, Somerville served as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at New Mexico for two seasons (2020-21).
Before his first full-time coaching role, Somerville was a graduate assistant in 2019 with the Arizona State Sun Devils, helping them to a berth in the Tony the Tigers Sun Bowl.
Keith Bhonofa
Running Backs Coach
Bhonapha has spent the past two seasons at Michigan State as the Spartan’s assistant head coach/running backs coach. He also served as the program's co-special teams coordinator and held play-calling responsibilities for that unit.
Bhonapha has more than 20 years of collegiate experience stemming from stints at Michigan State, Oregon State, Boise State, Washington and Hawai’i.
This past season, Spartan punter Ryan Eckley earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors after leading the Big Ten with the highest average of yards per punt (48.5). The Spartan offense was statistically led by sophomore running back Makhi Frazier who rushed for 520 yards on 116 carries and two touchdowns while playing in nine games. In addition, he finished fourth on the team with 545 all-purpose yards.
In 2024, Michigan State’s special teams featured two all-conference performers as placekicker Jonathan Kim and punter Ryan Eckley both earned Second-Team All-Big Ten accolades. In the backfield, Bhonapha mentored Kay’ron Lynch-Adams (649 yards, two TDs) and Nathan Carter (499 yards, five TDs) as the duo led the Spartans in rushing. Both Lynch-Adams (Panthers) and Carter (Falcons) signed as undrafted NFL free agents following their Spartan careers.
Bhonapha came to Michigan State after spending one season at Oregon State in 2023, helping the Beavers to an 8-4 record. During his lone season in Corvallis, Oregon, Bhonapha coached sophomore running back Damien Martinez, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist who ranked second in the Pac-12 and 20th in the FBS during the regular season in rushing (98.75 ypg). Martinez also ranked second in the conference in both rushing yards (1,185) and rushing attempts per game (16.2) in 2023. A two-time selection to the All-Pac-12 First Team, Martinez was ranked fifth in yards per carry (6.11) and tied for sixth in rushing TDs (9). Martinez finished the 2023 regular season with 1,185 rushing yards, ranking him at No. 13 in the Oregon State single-season record books; he went on to get selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft by Seattle.
Before his stint with Oregon State, Bhonapha was associate head coach and running backs coach at Boise State in 2022, also overseeing BSU's special teams during his second stint in Boise, helping the Broncos to the 2022 Frisco Bowl.
In 2022, BSU was second in the Mountain West in both rushing (196.4 ypg) and rushing yards per carry (5.0), while ranking third in rushing TDs (27). Bhonapha helped coach running back George Holani to Second-Team All-Mountain West honors, after ranking third in the conference in rushing yards (1,157) and fourth in both rushing average (89.0 ypg) and rushing touchdowns (10). Under Bhonapha's mentoring, running back Ashton Jeanty and placekicker Jonah Dalmas also earned honorable mention All-MW accolades. Jeanty went on to have a record-setting career at Boise State, winning the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award in 2024 while finishing runner-up for the Heisman Trophy; he was selected in the first round (No. 6 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bhonapha coached at Washington from 2014-2021 as the Huskies' running backs coach and also oversaw the Huskie’s special teams in 2021. Bhonapha was also Washington's recruiting coordinator from 2014-19, helping the Huskies land three top 25 recruiting classes.
While at Washington, Bhonapha mentored the likes of Salvon Ahmed, who became the ninth Husky in the previous 10 seasons to rush for 1,000 yards, finishing the year with 1,020, to go with 11 touchdowns and Myles Gaskin. Under Bhonapha, Gaskin became just the 10th player in FBS history to rush for four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2015-18). Gaskin was also just the second player in NCAA history to eclipse 1,200 yards for four straight years, joining Wisconsin's Ron Dayne to accomplish that feat. Gaskin completed his career at Washington with a school-record 62 touchdowns and 5,323 rushing yards. He also held school records for 100-yard rushing games (26), rushing attempts (945), rushing yards per game (102.4), rushing touchdowns (57), rushes of 50-plus yards (10) and all-purpose yards (5,878). A 2016 first-team All-Pac-12 honoree, Gaskin was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
Bhonapha's first stint at Boise State was from 2006-13, where he oversaw the Broncos' running backs from 2009-13 and was BSU's director of operations from 2006-08. He helped Boise State to the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and a thrilling victory over Oklahoma. Over the course of his eight seasons in Boise, he helped the Broncos reach the 2007 Hawai'i Bowl, 2008 Poinsettia Bowl, 2010 Fiesta Bowl, the 2010-12 Las Vegas Bowls, and 2013 Hawai'i Bowl.
During his first tenure with the Broncos, Bhonapha worked with running backs including Jeremy Avery, who rushed for 1,151 yards in 2009. Next in line was Doug Martin, who rushed for 1,260 yards in 2010 and 1,299 yards in 2011, before getting drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2012, D.J. Harper rushed for 1,137 yards, before two-time first-team All-Mountain West honoree Jay Ajayi amassed 1,425 yards in 2013.
Ajayi finished his collegiate career with 678 rushes for 3,796 yards and 50 rushing touchdowns, which all ranked in the top three spots on the Boise State career lists. Ajayi was later drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2015 and was a member of the Super Bowl LII champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, before retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
Bhonapha’s first coaching opportunity came at Hawai'i, his alma mater, from 2003-05, working with UH's defensive backs and special teams.
A four-year letterwinner at Hawai'i (1999-2002), Bhonapha was a defensive back for the Rainbow Warriors, playing 35 games in his career, posting 55 tackles and scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt. He helped UH to the 1999 Oahu Bowl vs. Oregon State and the 2002 Hawai'i Bowl vs. Tulane.
A native of Oakland, Bhonapha earned his bachelor's degree from Hawai'i in liberal studies with a focus in criminology in 2003, and his master's degree from Hawai'i in public administration in 2005.
Bhonapha and his wife, Julia, have four children, Isaiah, Emery, Odin and Ellison.
Ike Hilliard
WR Coach/Co-OC
Hilliard worked with a long list of the league's top wide receivers during 13 seasons as an NFL coach, including five who combined for six 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his watch in Brandon Marshall (Miami); Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson (Washington); Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh); and Drake London (Atlanta). Johnson (2021) and London (2024) both had their most productive NFL seasons when tutored by Hilliard, with Johnson also earning a Pro Bowl selection in 2021. Others on the list of NFL players coached by Hilliard include Jamison Crowder, Josh Doctson, Terry McLaurin and Santana Moss (Washington); Robert Woods (Buffalo); Chase Claypool and JuJu Smith-Schuster (Pittsburgh); and Darnell Moody (Atlanta).
Hilliard's first NFL coaching job came as the wide receivers coach with Miami (2011) before he would spend seven of the next eight NFL seasons in the same role with Washington (2012, 2014-19) with one campaign in Buffalo (2013) in between his two Washington stints. He later coached for two seasons at both Pittsburgh (2020-21) and Atlanta (2004-05), while working his lone college coaching position in between at Auburn (2022). Hilliard began his coaching career by spending two seasons working with the wide receivers of the USFL's Florida Tuskers (2009-10), with both squads reaching the league's championship game.
Hilliard's 13 seasons as an NFL coach were highlighted by three teams that were division winners, with Washington taking the NFC East title in both 2012 and 2015, while Pittsburgh was the NFC North champion in 2020. The Steelers added an AFC Wild Card season in 2021.
Hilliard coached four NFL teams that ranked among the league's top 10 in passing, highlighted by a 2016 Washington squad that was third with an average of 309.25 passing yards per game for an offense that set single-season team records in total offense (403.4 ypg), yards per play (6.4 ypp), net passing yards (4,758) and completions (407), among others. Washington's 2016 offense was also the team's first since 1999 to feature a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Garcon and Jackson. Jackson averaged an NFL-best 20.9 yards per reception in 2014 when he was the first Washington player to finish a season as the NFL leader in yards per reception since Henry Ellard (19.5 in 1996). In 2017, Hilliard guided a young wide receiver corps that helped quarterback Kirk Cousins become the first player in team history to record a third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season. He coached McLaurin to a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team in 2019 when he had 58 receptions for 919 yards with seven touchdown catches.
Hilliard played wide receiver for a dozen campaigns in the league before embarking on his coaching career and was a member of the 2000 New York Giants squad that won the NFC Championship and participated in Super Bowl XXXV. Hilliard played in 161 career regular-season games with 106 starts over a 12-year career with the Giants (1997-2004) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005-08). He finished with 546 career receptions for 6,397 yards receiving with 35 touchdown catches.
Hilliard was selected in the first round (seventh overall pick) of the 1997 NFL Draft after winning a national championship and earning consensus First-Team All-America honors as well as First-Team All-SEC and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist recognition in his final collegiate season as a 2016 junior at Florida. Hilliard played in 32 collegiate games and finished with 126 receptions for 2,214 yards receiving and 29 touchdown catches. In his final collegiate game, he recorded seven catches for 150 yards with three touchdown grabs to help the Gators to a 52-20 Sugar Bowl win over Florida State to secure the school's first national title. He is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 2009).
Hilliard earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Florida that he had worked on over the years after leaving the Gators with one season of eligibility remaining to enter the 1997 NFL Draft.
Hilliard prepped at Patterson High School in Patterson, Louisiana.
Steve Haunga
TE Coach/Run Game Coordinator
Haunga comes to Berkeley after having served as an offensive analyst for Oregon the last four seasons (2022-25). He has worked with multiple top-10 offenses and elite talents, including now-NFL quarterbacks Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. Following a breakout season by Nix in 2022, the Ducks led the nation in 2023 in passing offense (346.9 ypg) and ranked second in scoring offense (44.2 ppg), while scoring at least 30 points in every game. Oregon continued its prolific passing attack in 2024 en route to claiming the Big Ten title and earning the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
This season, Oregon has once again been a top-scoring offense, averaging 38.7 ppg and most recently putting up 51 points in a win over James Madison in the first round of the CFP. Big Ten Tight End of the Year Kenyon Sadiq has 42 catches for 509 yards and leads all of the nation’s tight ends with eight touchdown receptions. Three-time all-conference performer Terrance Ferguson wrapped up his collegiate career at Oregon after the 2024 campaign as the program’s all-time leader among tight ends in receptions (134) and receiving touchdowns (16), while ranking second in receiving yards (1,537)
Haunga has worked his way up the coaching ladder over the last decade, starting his career as a strength and conditioning intern at Boise State and Cal. He then had a three-year stint with Tulsa in three different roles, beginning his time with the Golden Hurricanes in 2016 as a graduate assistant on the athletic performance staff before holding roles as an offensive graduate assistant in 2017 and an offensive analyst in 2018. In 2019, Haunga served as a graduate assistant for the offensive line at Auburn during Nix’s SEC Freshman of the Year rookie season. After his time in Auburn, Haunga spent two seasons with North Texas (2020-21) as an offensive quality control coach before his most recent stint with Lupoi at Oregon.
Haunga returns to Berkeley as a full-time position coach for the first time in his career.
As a player, he was a two-year letterwinner on the offensive line at Arkansas State and served as team captain as a 2013 senior. He played two seasons at College of the Canyons before moving on to Arkansas State, where he graduated with a bachelor’s in interdisciplinary studies in 2014.
Mike Saffell
Tight Ends
COACHING CAREER
California – Graduate Assistant, Offense (2022-23); Student Assistant (2021)
– Worked with offensive coordinator/offensive line coach (then offensive line coach/run game coordinator) Mike Bloesch in 2023 with an offensive line that helped the running game average of 172.8 yards per game, which was its highest mark since 2012, and create open running room for 2024 Heisman Trophy candidate Jaydn Ott, who in 2023 paced the Pac-12 and ranked among the nation’s best in all-purpose yards per game (135.67, #6 NCAA), rushing yards per game (109.6, #9 NCAA) and rushing yards (1315, #14 NCAA)
– Helped Cal make tremendous improvements in protecting the quarterback and not allowing negative plays in 2023, improving from 10th to fourth in the Pac-12 in sacks allowed (2.58 to 1.50) and 11th to tied for fifth in tackles for loss allowed (6.08 to 5.42) from a year ago
– Helped produce a trio of Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week selections in Brian Driscoll (Week 1 at North Texas; Week 11 vs. Washington State) and Barrett Miller (Week 12 at Stanford)
PLAYING CAREER
California, Offensive Line (2017-20)
– Played in 28 career games with 23 starts including all 17 Cal games at center during his 2019 junior and 2020 senior campaigns before announcing his medical retirement from football with one season of eligibility remaining prior to the 2021 campaign
– Helped Cal to back-to-back bowl games with the Bears appearing at the Cheez-It Bowl in 2018 before knocking off Illinois at the 2019 Redbox Bowl to finish 8-5 overall
– Named the Pac-12's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a 2020 senior, as well as a team captain, and a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy and Wuerffel Trophy that are considered college football's premier academic and community service awards, respectively
– A first-team Pac-12 All-Academic selection as a 2018 sophomore and a member of the league's inaugural Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll that replaced its Pac-12 All-Academic teams during his 2019 junior campaign
– Named second-team All-Pac-12 by Pro Football Focus as a 2019 junior
– Picked up Cal’s Clint Evans Award as the program’s most intense freshman competitor in 2017 when he helped protect Ross Bowers on his way to the sixth-highest total for passing yards in school history (3,039) and opened holes for Patrick Laird, who registered the 18th 1,000-yard rushing season ever at Cal
– Took over from Laird as the lead ambassador for the Cal Athletics Summer Reading Challenge in 2019 and spoke to over 5,000 kids that summer to promote reading and combat summer learning loss before returning to the role in 2020 and taking the event online due to the COVID-19 pandemic
YEAR-BY-YEAR COACHING POSITIONS
Season: Team – Position (Postseason, Notes)
2021: California – Student Assistant
2022: California – Graduate Assistant, Offense
2023: California – Graduate Assistant, Offense (Independence Bowl, Elevated To Tight Ends On Dec. 9, 2023)
2024: California – Tight Ends
Famika Anae
Offensive Line
Famika Anae has been named the new offensive line coach of the California football program, Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Saturday.
Anae has over 10 seasons of collegiate coaching experience, most recently serving as the offensive line coach at New Mexico in 2024. The Lobos' high-powered offense was led by a strong running attack, ranking fourth nationally in rushing at 253.6 yards per game.
Led by Anae, the Lobos' offensive line led the country this season in both total sacks allowed (5) and sacks allowed per game (0.42). New Mexico also topped FBS teams in tackles for loss allowed, giving up just 26 on the season for 70 yards (2.17 pg). The 26 tackles for loss allowed were eight fewer than Army's 34, the second-least allowed in the country. The Lobos were fourth in the NCAA in total offense at 484.3 yards per game.
Anae led two All-Conference performers in 2024 as Baraka Beckett was named a First Team Mountain West offensive lineman and McKenzie Agnello was a Second Team selection.
Prior to New Mexico, Anae coached the offensive line at Campbell University for two seasons in 2022-23. Anae coached a pair of All-Coastal Athletic Association honorees in Mike Edwards, a First Team pick at offensive tackle and Tyler McLellan, a Third Team selection at tackle. Edwards was a two-time First Team pick under Anae, and was also an All-American in 2022 when they were members of the Big South Conference.
Campbell's 2023 offensive line ranked No. 2 in the FCS in pass blocking efficiency (93.2), according to PFF. The CU offense also led the CAA and finished fifth nationally in pass completion percentage (.702).
Anae spent three seasons coaching the offensive line at Texas A&M Commerce from 2019-21, developing three All-Conference players. In 2021, the offensive line made way for an offense that gained 3,580 total yards and allowed less than two sacks per game.
Amon Simon earned All-American honors for the second time in Anae's tenure at tackle in 2021. He was also named to D2Football's Elite 100 team and registered Second Team Region IV, and First Team All-LSC accolades. Center Christian Hernandez was also named Second Team All-Lone Star Conference.
Anae also coached at Dixie State in 2018, his first full-time role as a position coach with the offensive line. He was an assistant offensive line coach at Virginia (2016-18) and also BYU (2014-15).
Anae played two seasons on the offensive line at BYU from 2011-12 before injuries ended his career after his sophomore season. As a starter in 2012, Anae earned All-Independent honors for the Cougars. He earned his bachelor's degree in history from BYU in 2014. Anae and his wife Tessi Leila Tolutau have four children Liane, Savani, Fiaali'i, and Litiavava'u.
Michael Hutchings
Defensive Coordinator
Hutchings comes to Berkeley after three seasons with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. For the last two years, he served as the team's safeties coach after being elevated from his role as an assistant defensive backs coach in 2023.
Overall, Hutchings brings eight years of coaching experience - both collegiately and professionally - to Lupoi's staff.
Through 16 games of the 2025 season, the Vikings defense currently ranks fifth in the NFL, surrendering only 292.7 yards per game. Through the air, Minnesota ranks third in passing defense, allowing just 168.8 yards per game. Overall, the Vikings defensive unit ranks 10th in the league in points allowed (20.8) with a majority of the league still to play its 16th game of the season.
In 2024, Hutchings helped the Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record - the second-most wins in team history - and a playoff appearance. His safeties played an integral role in, leading the NFL in interceptions (24), passes defended (95), opponent 4th-down conversion percentage (37.1%) and interceptions per attempt (3.8%) and tying for the league lead in takeaways (33). The unit also helped the Vikings rank second in the NFL in opponent scoring efficiency (31.6%), opponent runs of at least 20 yards (five) and opponents rushing yards per game (93.5).
Minnesota recorded a takeaway in every regular season game in 2024, marking the most consecutive games with a takeaway in a single season in franchise history, and was the only team in the NFL with a takeaway in every game. The Vikings’ 24 interceptions were five more than any other team in the league.
Former Golden Bear and former Viking Cam Bynum, along with All-Pro safety Harrison Smith, tied for the team lead with three interceptions in 2024.
During his first season in the professional ranks, Hutchings helped the Vikings defense improve from their 31st overall ranking in 2022 to 16th in 2023, and lead the NFL with 21 takeaways, with defensive backs accounting for 14.
Hutchings helped his defensive backs and Bynum to career numbers in 2023. Bynum posted career highs in tackles (137), passes defended (nine), forced fumbles (three) and tied his then career-best mark in interceptions (two). His 137 total tackles led all Vikings defenders and were the most by a defensive back in the league in 2023.
Before his time in the NFL, Hutchings spent time at Western Kentucky (2022), Oregon (2021) and USC (2018-20).
He was the outside linebackers coach for the Hilltoppers during a 9-5 campaign. Before his time in Kentucky, he served as a defensive analyst under Mario Cristobal at Oregon and began his coaching career at his alma mater, USC.
During his time at USC, Hutchings helped lead a dramatic improvement in the Trojans' defense from 2019 to 2020, with total yards allowed per game dropping from 408.7 to 369.7 and passing yards allowed per game falling from 246.2 to 216.3.
Additionally, he coached safety Talanoa Hufanga, who was named a consensus All-American and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu, who made All-Pac-12 first team in 2020.
The Concord native played four seasons (2013-16) at inside linebacker for USC, making 15 starts and recording 118 tackles, including eight tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two passes defensed and one interception.
Hutchings received his bachelor's degree in communications and a master's degree in communication management from USC.
Darion Daniels
Defensive Line Coach
Daniels, who comes to Cal after a two-year stint in Eugene as a defensive analyst, was a standout defensive lineman in college at Oklahoma State and Nebraska. As a player, Daniels was named a team captain for the Cornhuskers and was later named an honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection for his play during his senior year in Lincoln.
As a senior, he totaled a career-high 34 tackles on the season, with four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and his first career interception at Nebraska. While at Oklahoma State, Daniels recorded seven tackles, one tackle for loss and 1.0 sack in his four games in 2018. As a junior in 2017, Daniels started 10 games and had 26 tackles, five TFLs, a half-sack, two pass breakups and a pair of quarterback hurries. He earned the Vernon Grant Award for outstanding leadership, spirit and enthusiasm following the season. As a sophomore, Daniels appeared in 13 games, totaling 15 tackles, one TFL, one breakup, one hurry and one blocked extra point. Daniels was named Oklahoma State’s most outstanding defensive newcomer as a true freshman in 2015, when he played in 13 games and had 16 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a half-sack.
Daniels played his prep ball for Bishop Dunne High School in Dallas, where he was named a first-team all-state selection as both a junior and a senior. Darrion earned his degree in marketing from Oklahoma State in December of 2018 and a master's degree in applied science from Nebraska in August of 2022.
Da'Von Brown
DB Coach/Co-DC
Brown comes to Cal from Western Kentucky, where he served as the Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach in 2025. Prior to his promotion to his Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs role, he spent two seasons as the Hilltoppers’ defensive backs coach.
The 2025 Hilltoppers went 9-4 and capped off the season with a win in the New Orleans Bowl on Tuesday. Western Kentucky’s defensive unit surrendered the least amount of touchdowns through the air in Conference USA this past season and tallied nine interceptions. Overall, the Hilltopper defense gave up a total of 297 total points and Its 22.8 points allowed per game ranked second in the conference. In addition, the Hilltopper defense held 13 opponents to just 41 total fourth quarter points.
Defensive back Jayden Lewis and defensive lineman Harper Holloman garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference USA honors under Brown’s tutelage this past season.
In 2024, Brown led one of the top secondaries in Conference USA. The Hilltoppers finished second in the league in pass defense by allowing just 176.1 yards through the air per game, and held opponents under 100 yards passing four times during the regular season to help WKU earn a berth in the CUSA Championship Game and the Boca Raton Bowl. WKU was fourth in CUSA in scoring defense in 2024, allowing an average of 24.6 points per game, and ranked third in the category against league opponents during the regular season at just 20.1 points allowed through those eight games. The Hilltoppers were third in the league in turnovers gained in 2024.
Brown coached multiple players to All-Conference USA honors during the 2024 season. Upton Stout was named All-CUSA First Team Defense and Devonte' Mathews was All-CUSA Second Team Defense. Last April, Stout was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft with the 100th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers after his standout career with the Hilltoppers.
The Hilltoppers were one of the most aggressive defenses in the nation during the 2023 season, finishing first in Conference USA and tied for seventh nationally in turnovers gained with 26. WKU's 11 fumble recoveries were seventh nationally and the 15 passes intercepted were 15th in the country – marks that ranked first and second in CUSA, respectively. WKU ranked first in CUSA and 35th nationally in team passing efficiency defense, while the Hilltoppers' red zone defense was the second-best in CUSA.
In his first season at WKU, Brown helped coach a secondary that included safety Kendrick Simpkins, who led the nation in sacks by a defensive back and was tied for fifth in the country in forced fumbles per game; and cornerback Anthony Johnson Jr., who was named a CUSA All-Conference Honorable Mention selection after leading the league in interceptions per game. Brown also coached cornerback Davion Williams, who received a rookie minicamp invitation from the Atlanta Falcons following the 2024 NFL Draft.
Brown joined the Hilltoppers following a two-year stint at Ole Miss.
Brown originally arrived at Ole Miss as a graduate assistant in 2021 before being promoted to defensive analyst in 2022, when he helped the Rebels' defense hold opponents to 25 points per game while producing 19 forced turnovers. Ole Miss went 8-5 in 2022 with a win over No. 7 Kentucky and an appearance in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. In Brown's first season in Oxford, the Rebels put together a 10-win season with an appearance in the Sugar Bowl.
Before joining Lane Kiffin's staff at Ole Miss, Brown spent the 2020 season at Geneva College where he served as a graduate assistant coaching defensive backs. The Golden Tornadoes only played five games that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Brown played four seasons as a defensive back at Florida Atlantic. Three of those seasons were spent under the leadership of Kiffin, his boss at Ole Miss. In his final three seasons with the Owls, Brown recorded 114 total tackles, six pass breakups, and one forced fumble. As a senior in 2019, Brown registered the third-most tackles on the team with 76 while helping FAU finish the year with an 11-3 record.
Brown holds a bachelor's degree in public safety administration from Florida Atlantic.
Connor Boyd
Safeties Coach
Boyd will serve as the Golden Bears safeties coach, Daniels will be the new defensive line coach and pass rush specialist while Haunga will lead the tight end unit and serve as the run game coordinator.
The trio has helped Oregon post a 47-7 overall record since 2022, win a 2024 Big Ten title and reach the College Football Playoff twice (2024, ‘25).The Ducks have been the top-ranked offense in the conference twice since 2022 and boast a defense that has been ranked fourth or higher in its final years in the Pac-12 Conference and sixth or higher in its first two seasons in the Big Ten.
Boyd, who has been with Oregon since 2022, was a defensive analyst this past season under Lupoi.
Prior to Oregon, Boyd was a graduate assistant at the University of Colorado (2021) and a volunteer defensive assistant at the University of Tennessee (2020). While in Knoxville, he assisted with the outside linebackers, worked on weekly scouting reports and offensive breakdowns while also assisting with the scout team among his overall responsibilities. Before his time at UT, he served as a graduate assistant at Jacksonville State University for two seasons (2018-19).
Boyd earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of Alabama in 2018, making the Dean’s List as a senior. He received his Master’s in Sports Management from Jacksonville State in 2020.
As an undergrad at Alabama, Boyd spent three years working as a student assistant in the football office. He was involved in a variety of duties, which included assisting offensive line coach Brent Key, charting assignments for the linemen, breaking down opponent video for scouting reports, and assisting coaches and analysts with daily on-field assignments. He also helped with recruiting, editing prospect videos, planning road itineraries and had responsibilities for events such as official visits and junior days (two of the recruiting classes he helped with were ranked No. 1 in the nation by 247sports.com).
Zach Tinker
Special Teams Coordinator
Tinker has worked with special teams on the same Oregon football staff as Lupoi for three of the last four seasons in roles of quality control in 2022 and an analyst since 2024. In between, he had special teams quality control duties at Cal for one season in 2023.
Oregon teams have posted a 35-5 overall record, won a 2024 Big Ten title and reached the College Football Playoff twice (2024, 25) with Tinker as a member of its football staff. Several special teams units and individuals have excelled during Tinker's three seasons, including a 2025 squad that has been responsible for five blocks. The Ducks currently rank tied for eighth nationally with a pair of blocked punts and are tied for ninth with three blocked kicks. Oregon had one of each in its first-round College Football Playoff win over James Madison last week.
In addition, the Ducks lead the Big Ten and rank second nationally in punt return defense, allowing only 1.0 yard per return and allowing a total of just four punt returns for four yards. In 2024, the Ducks' kickoff return team was its top special teams unit, ranking sixth nationally with an average of 26.83 yards per return (12-322-1TD).
Specialists who have had strong showings with Tinker on staff include Oregon kickers Atticus Sappington and Camden Lewis. Lewis tied for 18th nationally in field goal percentage in 2022 going 14-of-16 and Sappington tied for 19th nationally in field goal percentage in 2024 while also going 14-of-16 (.875). In 2023, Cal punter Lachlan Wilson was No. 23 in the nation in punting average (44.5).
Tinker started his 27-year coaching career with 13 seasons (1999-2011) at four schools in the Pacific Northwest (Meridian High School, Western Washington, Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon) before an eight-year stint at South Dakota Mines (2012-19) as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach for four seasons before taking over as the head coach for his final four.
Tinker later returned to his roots for two more campaigns as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Central Washington (2020-21) prior to the first of his two stints at Oregon. After his first season with the Wildcats was limited to a single game in the spring of 2021 due to COVID-19, Tinker helped a 2021 Central Washington team to an 8-3 overall record, a perfect 4-0 mark in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference to win a league title and a spot in the NCAA Division II playoffs. His prolific offense averaged 44.5 points per game to rank second in the nation and scored 50 or more points in five of the victories.
Tinker's 2018 team highlighted his four-year tenure as the head coach at South Dakota Mines. The Hardrockers were the nation's top passing team in the Division II ranks with an average of 332.4 yards per game, while their total offense (536.9 ypg) and scoring offense (43.8 ppg) were third and eighth, respectively. Senior All-American quarterback Jakeb Sullivan led the nation in passing (325.1 ypg), total offense (356.0 ypg) and touchdown passes (32) and later went on to play professionally in Europe, where he is currently a member of the Berlin Thunder. Wide receiver Isaiah Manley set a school record with 93 receptions for 1,223 yards with 13 touchdowns while running back Connor Silveria established a single-game school-record with 425 yards in a 56-42 victory over Adams State.
South Dakota Mines' prolific offense under Tinker during his first four campaigns at the school earned him a promotion to head coach, with each of his last three teams in the role of offensive coordinator all averaging over 30 points and 425 yards of total offense per game - with his 2013 (38.4 ppg) and 2014 squads (480.2 ypg) putting up the top numbers. In 2014, Tinker was one of three finalists for the AFCA's Division II Assistant Coach of the Year as the offense broke several school records, including total offense (5,282 yards) and passing offense (3,540 yards).
Tinker's four-year stint as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Oregon (2008-11) was highlighted by his final Mountaineers' squad that finished with an 8-3 mark that at the time was only the school's second winning season in its first 82 years of play and included a victory over defending national champion and top-ranked Carroll College that snapped the Saints' 44-game Frontier Conference winning streak.
In his single season as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach at Southern Oregon in 2007, he helped guide the Raiders to a 5-4 mark that was their first winning record in three seasons.
Tinker's first collegiate coaching job came at his alma mater Western Washington (2003-06), where he helped the Vikings win the 2003 GNAC crown in his first of two seasons as the tight ends coach and coached center Loren Winter to 2006 Division II All-American honors while guiding the offensive line in each of his last of two campaigns.
Prior to joining the college ranks, Tinker spent four seasons at Meridian High School in Bellingham (1999-2002), helping the Trojans to the Class 2A State Championship in 1999 before finishing second in 2000.
Tinker played four seasons collegiately as a defensive end at Western Washington (1995-98) with the Vikings capturing GNAC titles in each of his first two seasons, including an NAIA national runner-up showing during his 1996 sophomore campaign. He was named the team's Most Inspirational Award recipient as a 1998 senior.
Tinker received his bachelor's degree in political science from Western Washington in 1998 and added his master's of teaching degree in 2008.
Tinker and his wife, Marnie, have two children, Joey and Julianna.
Jason Novak
Head Football Athletic Performance Coach
Jason Novak has been named the new head athletic performance coach for the California football program, Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox announced Friday.
Novak comes to Berkeley with extensive experience, including most recently serving as director of strength & conditioning at James Madison in 2024 after serving in the same role at Michigan State from 2020-23.
Before arriving in East Lansing, Novak was the head of physical conditioning at IMG Academy (2019-20), was the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan (2015-19), and spent 11 years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tennessee Titans (2004-15).
Novak's offseason strength and conditioning program was one of the key reasons for Michigan State's school-record turnaround season in 2021 as the Spartans won 11 games, beat No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and finished ranked in the top 10 of the national polls (No. 8 coaches, No. 9 AP).
During his time as the director of strength and conditioning at Central Michigan, Novak oversaw the year-round training for more than 450 student-athletes.
Prior to joining the Titans, Novak served as the director of strength and conditioning at Yale where he handled the design and implementation of strength and conditioning programs for football, hockey, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and baseball in 2003-04.
He served in a similar capacity at Alabama State from 2000-03, and worked as a graduate assistant/strength coach at both Baylor and Stephen F. Austin.
Novak earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Stephen F. Austin in 1998 and his master's degree from Baylor in sport management in 2000.
A native of Houston, Texas, Novak and his wife, Michelle, have three children: Drew, Avery and Gray.