Tem Lukabu joins the Carolina Panthers in 2023 as outside linebackers coach after three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Boston College. Lukabu brings 15 years of coaching experience, including five in the NFL, to the team.
In 2022, Boston College ranked in the top-50 nationally in several defensive categories, including first downs allowed (240, 38th), passing yards allowed per game (211.2, 44th) and team tackles for loss per game (6.8, 26th). Sophomore defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku was named All-ACC Second Team after finishing the season ranked second in the ACC with 0.7 sacks per game. Defensive tackle Chibueze Onnwuka, linebacker Vinny DePalma and defensive backs Josh DeBerry, Elijah Jones and Jaiden Woodbey all earned All-ACC Honorable Mention. DePalma finished the season ranked 14th in the ACC with 7.2 tackles per game.
Under Lukabu's direction, the Eagles ranked third nationally in passing yards allowed (173.5 per game) in 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 (Second Team), Brandon Sebastian (Third Team), Marcus Valdez (Honorable Mention) and Jaiden Woodbey (Honorable Mention).
In his first season at Boston College, 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 himself, 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 2003. He was a first-team All-Patriot League selection both seasons and was named a third-team AP All-American.
Lukabu was born 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.
2008-09 | University of Rhode Island | Outside Linebackers
2010-11 | Rutgers University | Outside Linebackers
2012-13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive Assistant
2014 | Colgate University | Outside Linebackers
2015 | Florida International University | Defensive Line
2016-17 | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive Quality Control
2018 | Mississippi State University | Linebackers
2019 | Cincinnati Bengals | Linebackers
2020-22 | Boston College | Defensive Coordinator
2023-pre | Carolina Panthers | Outside Linebackers
