Football
Lukabu, Tem
Tem Lukabu
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator
- Email:
- lukabu@bc.edu
- Phone:
- 552-3010
Tem Lukabu begins his third season at Boston College as defensive coordinator. A rising star in the coaching industry, Lukabu returned to the collegiate ranks after spending the 2019 season as the Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach.
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Under Lukabu’s direction, BC ranked third nationally in passing yards allowed (173.5 per game) during 2021. The Eagles were also top-30 nationally in six other defensive categories. Four members of his defense earned All-ACC honors in 2021: Josh DeBerry (2nd), Brandon Sebastian (3rd), Marcus Valdez (HM) and Jaiden Woodbey (HM).
Lukabu oversaw a defense that jumped from finishing 125th in total defense the year prior to his arrival to 73rd in 2020. BC allowed 28.4 points per game in 2020, 60th nationally, after finishing 101st nationally in 2019 (32.2 points per game).
From 2016-17, Lukabu served as the defensive quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers. He worked primarily with the 49ers’ linebackers in 2016, before shifting his focus to the team’s secondary in 2017.
In 2015, Lukabu served as the defensive line coach at Florida International University. In 2014, he served as the outside linebackers coach at his alma mater, Colgate University.
Prior to his time at Colgate, Lukabu spent two seasons (2012-13) as a defensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lukabu joined Tampa Bay following two seasons (2010-11) at Rutgers, where he coached outside linebackers.
A former linebacker, Lukabu was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at Colgate from 2000-03. He helped the Raiders to back-to-back Patriot League titles and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in both 2002 and ’03. He was a first-team All-Patriot League selection both seasons and was named a third-team AP All-American.
Lukabu was born Aug. 6, 1981, in Kinshasa, the capital and largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history with a minor in political science from Colgate in 2004.
He and his wife, Kate, have three children — daughters Zaida and Kamryn, and son Pax.
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The Lukabu File
Birthday: Aug. 6, 1981
Hometown: Kinshasa, Congo
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2004
Family: Wife Kate; son Pax; daughters Zaida and Kamryn
Coaching Career
2020-present: Boston College (Defensive Coordinator)
2019: Cincinnati Bengals (Linebackers)
2018: Mississippi State (Linebackers)
2016-17: San Francisco 49ers (Defensive Quality Control)
2015: Florida International (Defensive Line)
2014: Colgate (Outside Linebackers)
2012-13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Defensive Assistant)
2010-11: Rutgers (Outside Linebackers)
2008-09: Rhode Island (Outside Linebackers)
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Under Lukabu’s direction, BC ranked third nationally in passing yards allowed (173.5 per game) during 2021. The Eagles were also top-30 nationally in six other defensive categories. Four members of his defense earned All-ACC honors in 2021: Josh DeBerry (2nd), Brandon Sebastian (3rd), Marcus Valdez (HM) and Jaiden Woodbey (HM).
Lukabu oversaw a defense that jumped from finishing 125th in total defense the year prior to his arrival to 73rd in 2020. BC allowed 28.4 points per game in 2020, 60th nationally, after finishing 101st nationally in 2019 (32.2 points per game).
From 2016-17, Lukabu served as the defensive quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers. He worked primarily with the 49ers’ linebackers in 2016, before shifting his focus to the team’s secondary in 2017.
In 2015, Lukabu served as the defensive line coach at Florida International University. In 2014, he served as the outside linebackers coach at his alma mater, Colgate University.
Prior to his time at Colgate, Lukabu spent two seasons (2012-13) as a defensive assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Lukabu joined Tampa Bay following two seasons (2010-11) at Rutgers, where he coached outside linebackers.
A former linebacker, Lukabu was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at Colgate from 2000-03. He helped the Raiders to back-to-back Patriot League titles and was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in both 2002 and ’03. He was a first-team All-Patriot League selection both seasons and was named a third-team AP All-American.
Lukabu was born Aug. 6, 1981, in Kinshasa, the capital and largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history with a minor in political science from Colgate in 2004.
He and his wife, Kate, have three children — daughters Zaida and Kamryn, and son Pax.
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The Lukabu File
Birthday: Aug. 6, 1981
Hometown: Kinshasa, Congo
Alma Mater: Colgate, 2004
Family: Wife Kate; son Pax; daughters Zaida and Kamryn
Coaching Career
2020-present: Boston College (Defensive Coordinator)
2019: Cincinnati Bengals (Linebackers)
2018: Mississippi State (Linebackers)
2016-17: San Francisco 49ers (Defensive Quality Control)
2015: Florida International (Defensive Line)
2014: Colgate (Outside Linebackers)
2012-13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Defensive Assistant)
2010-11: Rutgers (Outside Linebackers)
2008-09: Rhode Island (Outside Linebackers)
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