Alabama has now lost 5 assistants, as DC Tosh Lupoi leaves for an NFL job

UPDATE: The Cleveland Browns have officially announced the hiring of Tosh Lupoi.

The staff turnover at Alabama has reached epic proportions this offseason, and it continued on Wednesday night.

That’s because Alabama DC Tosh Lupoi was reportedly hired away from the Crimson Tide to serve on an NFL staff.

Per Bruce Feldman and Mary Kay Cabot, the Cleveland Browns and new head coach Freddie Kitchens have hired Lupoi to serve as the team’s defensive line coach:

BREAKING: #Alabama DC Tosh Lupoi is going to take a job on the Cleveland Browns staff, coaching the D-line, per source. Was a huge recruiting force the Tide as primary recruiter for Tua, Jonah Williams, Raekwon Davis, Najee Harris, Alex Leatherwood, Trevon Diggs & Dylan Moses.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) January 17, 2019

Confirming @BruceFeldmanCFB report that the #Browns have hired former Alabama DC Tosh Lupoi as DL coach

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) January 17, 2019

That’s a big loss for the Tide, as Lupoi was a key recruiter for the Tide, serving as the lead for players like Tua Tagovailoa, Najee Harris, Jonah Williams and others.

Lupoi is the first defensive assistant to leave. He joins Mike Locksley (HC at Maryland), Brent Key (Ga. Tech), Josh Gattis (Michigan) and Dan Enos (Miami).

It would stand to reason that Alabama would promote co-DC Pete Golding to the full-time job, but there’s still a new position to be filled on Alabama’s staff.