Football
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator/DBs
Greg Lupfer
Defensive Coordinator (Secondary) • Third Year
Portland State '94
Recruiting Area: Central Coast
Greg Lupfer joined Coach Tim Walsh's staff at Cal Poly inJanuary 2009 as the team's defensive coordinator. He coached thelinebackers in 2009 and switched to the secondary in 2010.
Lupfer coached the safeties, outside linebackers and specialteams at Toledo in 2008. Prior to his one-year coaching stint atToledo, Lupfer coached for 12 seasons (1995-2006) at his almamater, Portland State, including the final seven seasons as thedefensive coordinator and linebackers coach. During his tenure withthe Vikings, all under the direction of Walsh, Lupfer’sdefenses were among the top-rated in the Big Sky Conference.
In 2006, Portland State allowed just 12.4 points per gameagainst conference foes, by far the best in the league. Overall,Portland State allowed 18.4 points per game, the fewest sincejoining the ranks of the Football Championship Subdivision(formerly Division I-AA) in 1996. The Vikings also forced 31turnovers to rank second in the nation.
Lupfer’s best player on the 2006 team was linebacker AdamHayward, the Big Sky Conference’s Defensive Player of theYear and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the topdefensive player in the FCS. Hayward now plays for the Tampa BayBuccaneers.
Lupfer’s defense also dominated the Big Sky in 2004,leading the league in every major category, including scoringdefense (20.3), rushing defense (110.1) and total defense(346.3).
Prior to his post as defensive coordinator, Lupfer coached theVikings’ defensive secondary and special teams from 1996-99.He was outside linebackers coach in 1995 at Portland State and,before that, coached the linebackers as a graduate assistant forone season at Boise State in 1994.
Lupfer was an outstanding linebacker for Portland State, earningAll-Western League honors in 1991, leading the team in tackles andhelping an 11-3 Viking team reach the NCAA Division II semifinals.He missed the 1992 season due to injury, but came back in 1993 tolead the Vikings back to the playoffs. He was credited with 177tackles in his career.
Lupfer, 40, who also played at Walla Walla Community College in1989 and 1990, is a June 1994 graduate of Portland State with abachelor’s degree in social science. He and his wife Tinahave three children, Taylor (15), Colby (12) and Demi (4).
