Two months after accepting the job to coach the defensive line at Colorado, Vic So’oto is taking on a different challenge.
On Tuesday, California announced that it has hired So’oto as its new outside linebackers coach.
CU announced So’oto’s departure on Monday, citing “family reasons.” On Tuesday, So’oto, hired by Buffs’ head coach Karl Dorrell on Dec. 30, refuted that and said he simply got a better opportunity.
In a press release Monday, Dorrell said, “It is disappointing we’re losing Vic after just two months, but this is purely family related. He has five young children and with most of both sides of his family living in California, they can use the additional support. So we understand why he wants to take advantage of an opportunity to move back and be closer to them.”
So’oto is from Southern California and spent the past two seasons coaching the defensive line at USC. Prior to that, he spent four years at Virginia. He played collegiately at BYU before a four-year NFL career.
“I’ll address this once since I now have family and close friends reaching out to check on us,” So’oto wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “Proximity to ‘support’ was not on the list of my reasons to leave CU. This next opportunity was purely one I couldn’t pass up. I’ll go anywhere to coach if the opportunity is right.
“Coached across the country and will continue to do so. I’m thankful for (CU athletic director Rick George), Karl and the gang and wish them nothing but the best. My decision was based on a lot of reasons and thankfully we aren’t in dire need of support at this moment, like the statement sounds. All love.”
Through a CU spokesperson, Dorrell said he stands by his comment in Monday’s release and reiterated that family was the main reason he was given for So’oto’s departure.
According to CU, a search to fill the vacancy is already underway. Spring football practices at begin on March 30, with the spring game on April 23.
After So’oto was hired, CU announced that defensive coordinator Chris Wilson would shift his role to coaching the Buffs’ outside linebackers. Wilson has coached defensive line for much of his 30-year career, including the past two years at CU.
With So’oto leaving, it’s unclear if the Buffs will replace him with a defensive line coach or an outside linebackers coach.
