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As was rumored and reported on Wednesday, UVa’s defensive line coach Vic So’oto will be leaving Charlottesville this offseason and heading back to California to take the same position with the USC Trojans.
So’oto confirmed the reports last night and announced his departure last night on twitter.
Thank you President Ryan, Carla Williams, and Jim Booz for your collective vision and support.
— Vic So'oto (@Coach_Sooto) February 14, 2020
Coach Mendenhall and my brothers on the staff, I enjoyed every moment.
To the players, I love you all... you already know.
Wahoo nation!! It’s been a blast!! pic.twitter.com/WDLykqHQGO
So’oto is from Oceanside, California and went to high school at Carlsbad High School before going to BYU for college, so this is somewhat of a homecoming for the coach.
Much will also be said about the current state of UVa and USC comparing them as they currently stand, but it is hard to argue that UVa has as much prestige or program history as USC, one of the true blue-bloods of the college football world. When a program like USC asks you to come coach and it is where you grew up, it would likely be hard to turn down.
So’oto’s departure leaves a gap in the UVa coaching staff and a huge gap on the recruiting trail where he was making a large impact. Some names thought to be good fits to replace So’oto are: Byron Thweatt, who played at LB at UVa in the late 90s and early 00s and is now a coach with the ECU Pirates, Jackson Matteo, a former lineman at UVa and who is currently a GA with UVa, and former UVa great Clint Sintim, a second round NFL pick in 2009 and is currently a coach with the Delaware Blue Hens.
It will be interesting to see who Bronco Mendenhall eventually hires and what type of recruiting impact that hire can have.