A month ago, the Bears rebounded nicely after the departure of outside linebacker coach Keith Heyward after his departure to take over as UNLV’s defensive coordinator by hiring dynamic youth former Virginia and USC defensive ends coach as a replacement. The move came just two months after his hiring by Colorado and enabled him to return to his natural coaching position at OLB, where he played as a collegiate player at BYU as well as in the NFL.
So’oto was 2nd cousin with NFL Hall of Fame LB Junior Seau, sharing the same grandparents, so linebacking toughness and excellence clearly runs in the family.
So’oto takes a wealth of knowledge accumulated playing for and coaching with former BYU and Virginia head coach Bronco mendenhall and several defensive coordinator luminaries in the NFL.
“I guess first and foremost, my head coach at BYU and my boss at Virginia Bronco Mendenhall, his background in being a defensive expert and having a great defensive mind has allowed me to take a lot of concepts from my time in the NFL and simplify them and operate as a coach using different NFL systems and that’s allowed me to make things really simple and easy to grasp for my players.
“I think if anything, what I got from my playing time at BYU and the NFL was being able to take those concepts and allow my guys to see pro level concepts and make it easy to translate for them to use so they can go out and play really, really fast.
“I was fortunate to play in the NFL and play for a bunch of different teams, which allowed me to play for a bunch of different defenses, but at the same time, get to know and understand the thinking of some really good coordinators, like Dom Capers and Dick LaBeaux, Rob Ryan -those type of guys you hear about as a player and as a young kid. But being able to be in the same room as those guys, play in their defense and understand their style of gameplanning and calling games has helped my career tremendously and it affects the way I coach these outside backers.”
Being able to communicate what it takes for players to reach their goal of playing in the NFL is a tool in So’oto’s toolbox he’s used frequently over the years.
“I use it in recruiitng a lot and I use it talking to these guys,” said So’oto. “I just tell them straight up, ‘Where you want to go, I’ve been there, playing for and working with Hall of Fame coaches,’ so the type of coaches and the level of coaching they’ll be getting isn’t just a Pac-12 or SEC-level standard, it’s an NFL standard. The concepts and techniques they’ll learn here at Cal will be the foundation for the rest of their career, whether they play just here or if they play 10 or 15 years in the NFL. I think it does resonate and I use it a lot because it was my experience and it will help these go out there and perform and produce.”
While in his stint in Green Bay, So’oto got to learn from and develop a friendship with former sar Bear QB and 4-time MVP Aaron Rodgers and the future Hall of Famer made a big impression.
“Aaron was probably one of the closest teammates I've ever had,” said So’oto. “I came in as an undrafted free agent and scraping and clawing to be able to make the team and all that and he saw that and we had a lot of conversations. Since then, I went back into the minority internship with the NFL in 2016 or ‘17 and was able to get back to Green Bay and Aaron was still there so we got to chop it up and talk to him. He's a great leader -a leader by example. I’ve been on all these teams and multiple camps during the offseason when some guys would hold out for different things but what stood out to me with Aaron was that he was at every one of those training sessions, regardless of if it was mandatory or not. It showed a lot about his leadership style and standards.
“I told him that my first experience playing in a bowl game was against Cal and we lost in the Vegas Bowl and he was like, ‘Well, you should've went to Cal.’” I told him he was probably right.”
Moving to Cal and coaching on the west coast after starring at Carlsbad High School as a prep growing up in Oceanside.
“Here it feels like home,” said So'oto. “I think here at Cal, we’re going after the best players in the country. I think we have a chance with a lot of top guys and we’ll surprise a lot of people with the guys we're in it with and the guys we’re going after.”
So’oto is known as a high level recruiter, being responsible for bringing in several of USC’s top recruits. As so often happens when there’s a coaching change at the top, So’oto was not retained along with most of the staff with new USC head coach Lincoln Riley bringing in his own people, many from his prior stint at Oklahoma.
The move has seen exceptional roster turnover, with So'oto noting that roster change was greatly-needed for the Trojans to make steps forward. The Bears’ new OLB coach also noted his enthusiasm to play against his former program this season.
Part of So’oto’s strength as a recruiter involves the instant bond he’s able to form with many of the top Polynesian players in the country.
“As far as the Polynesian culture, it doesn’t take long to realize we’ve all been through a lot of similar things,” said So’oto. “The culture of the Polynesian people in America is really an immigrant’s story. We’ve all gone through similar things. Either we personally have or we’re one generation removed on our family tree from setting up roots in the mainland here in the United States. So you have those ties and bonds without event talking to anybody. And our culture is built on discipline and respect, so when you see another Polynesian player or coach, just right off the bat, you have respect for them and share a bond that goes deeper than sports of the colors a team wears.
“The Polynesian bond between players to other Polynesian players and coaches, it’s because we all undertand that for us to be in the states, one way or another, someone sacrificed to bring us here. It might be your mom, your grandma or grandpa but whoever it was, someone had to take a leap of faith to be in a position to have an opportunity and we’re reaping those rewards.”
So’oto was reunited with Bears’ Director of Recruiting Marshall Cherrington, who was one of So’oto's advocates after working together at USC.
“Marshall, we talked all the time,” said So’oto. “I liked the way he went about his business. A lot of times, the guys in recruiting don't really recruit. They just send out parameters and schedules and what-not. But Marshall was the one on the staff who was all in 100% talking to recruits and parents, which gained my respect right off the bat because I know how other guys at other places go about their business, but the way he was doing it was impressive. Geting him here and working with him again is just business as usual. Just go out and get the best players that we can.”
"Relentless is the key word with Vic,” said Cherrington. "Whether it comes to recruiting or coaching, you're going to get his max effort all the time. The energy and consistency he brings to the recruiting trail has paid dividends throughout his career. “
"Even with the guys in his position room right now, you're already seeing it. There's always a player in his office putting in extra time with him. He has a standard with the way he does things and upholds everyone around him to it - players and staff. He's been a huge addition for us."
“I think there’s a certain way to play football,” said So’oto. “And if you play it the right way, it shows up in the win column.
“As for my position, you’ve got to be violent. You have to set edges, be physical in the run game. Then when it’s time to get after the quarterback, we’ve got to hit the quarterback.
“Part of my reason for coming to Cal was one, to be able to work underneath a guy I’ve studied in Justin Wilcox with the defenses he’s put on the field but also to learn from Peter Sirmon and the defenses he’s coached and then for me to be leading the outside linebackers group and also work with the d-ends in coverage in a defense that highlights the strengths of those two guys is great.
“So for me, there’s a certain way we’re going to play football this year and a mindset they're going to be drilled on, no doubt. They’re going to go out and play a physical brand of football. That’s really what I leared in the NFL, too. My favorite coach was my position coach, Kevin Greene at Green BAy and that what we were built on as outside backes. We were kind of the same person only he was older and had long hair. Being able to be in that room and soak up knowledge on a guy who has sack records still has directly impacted how I coach these guys and my coaching style. What I will do is tel everyone the truth and hold them accountable and to a really high standard because if they want to play in the NFL, why not train them and practice our film and work techique that you’re going to use in the NFL and be an NFL player now?”
What kind of recruit does he target?
“Violent ones,” said So’oto. “Physicality that pops on film. For me, talent comes in all shaps and sizes but if they're violent and relentless on the field and love the game of football, that's what I'm drawn to in recruits. When they have 20-30 of free time, they’re the type of guys who throw in film of guys like Vaughn Miller or whoever their favorite position players are. I like those guys. And for me, the standard of height and weight comes down to where you’re most productive at. If you’re not productive on the field becaise you’re too heavy then you're going to lose weight. And if you're too light to get it done of the field, then you're going to gain weight.
“Looking at recruits from a high school standpoint, they're still growing and developing so for me, it's are you violent, do you love football and are you explosive and relentless. Everything else, I can teach you.
“I recruited a lot of different positions everywhere I've been and I'm 100 all in on making Cal the best program it can be.
“I think back to when I played Cal with BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl and Aaron wasn't on the team anymore by Marshawn, Justin Forsett, Desean Jackson and Desmond Bishop were out there and to me, this place has everything you could want as a recruit. Cal's really a sleeping giant and I want to be a part of that sleeping giant waking up.
“Last year this team could've easily been 10-2 if things broke the right way So for me, the exciting thing is to help us do whatever it takes to get us to the place I think everyone in the buildig thinks we can go. I think have a lot of guys who are really, really hungry and have a hunger to get better.
”The best thing about our team is the culture and how Coach Wilcox runs things in practice or workouts. Everyone's close-knit and hangs out with each otehr off the field and that's a great sign. These guys are realdy to accomplish big things.
“I tell fans to fill the stadium and we’re going to get after it and be violent as hell and make it hard for offenses to move the ball and hit the quarterback. Three’s a lot of guys who can do a lot o great things for us.
“We're excited to move things forward this fal and have a great season.”
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