Vic So'oto Appreciation Station: Werewolves of Wisconsin

[smuggler]

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=media%2Fapphoto%2F89bc6c6e-bd06-4fa2-a073-624fea943cbf.jpg

[mission]

dude is awesome... really. fanclub? seriously.

gotta get this guy on the field somehow with the 1s.

[Joemailman]

Thank his wife.

y Associated Press, Published: August 30

GREEN BAY, Wis. — If Vic So’oto makes the team, the Green Bay Packers’ personnel department will owe his wife Ashley a huge thank you.

“I live by the motto, ‘Happy wife, happy life,’” So’oto said with a grin.

That credo may also lead him to a roster spot with the defending Super Bowl champions.

After going undrafted out of Brigham Young this spring, the rookie outside linebacker had free-agent offers when the NFL lockout was lifted in late July from the Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins.

The Cardinals were the only team he visited before the draft, and while Packers outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene called him during the draft, So’oto didn’t have a preference when the signing period opened.

“Going undrafted, you know that all the teams have passed you up at least seven times,” So’oto said as he prepared for Thursday’s preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.

That game could make or break his bid for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

“I didn’t really mind where I went, so my wife made the decision, and here I am. It’s the best spot I could be in.”

Ashley’s reasoning was simple. During the lockout, her husband worked out in the San Diego area with then-Packers Brad Jones, Brandon Chillar, Brett Swain and Jarrett Bush, which she took as a sign.

“She kind of liked the whole Green Bay feel,” So’oto said. “She’s like, ‘You’ve been working out with guys, and I really have a good feeling about Green Bay.’ ”

But while the small-town feel has been nice for Vic, Ashley and infant daughter Sofi, it’s the way So’oto has fit the Packers’ 3-4 defense that could make for a perfect combination of player, family and team.

So’oto and fellow undrafted rookie Jamari Lattimore each had sacks in the Packers’ 24-21 victory over Indianapolis on Friday night.

Both will get a long look Thursday night against the Chiefs at Lambeau Field.

So’oto’s sack came against Colts starting right tackle Ryan Diem and forced Curtis Painter’s fumble that the Packers recovered.

While neither player has the first-round pedigree of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Clay Matthews, they do fit the Packers’ knack for unearthing undrafted talent and for finding promising outside linebackers in less prominent places.

The three primary competitors for the starting job opposite Matthews all came from humble NFL beginnings. Frank Zombo, who is sidelined with a fractured shoulder blade, was undrafted out of Central Michigan last year and had a sack in the Super Bowl.

Erik Walden was on the street when injuries struck and he wound up getting three sacks in a playoff-clinching victory over Chicago in the regular-season finale.

Jones, one of So’oto’s offseason workout partners, was a 2009 seventh-round pick who started eight games as a rookie and started five more last year before a season-ending shoulder injury.

“You know from playing this defense for a long time, you’re going to have to look for those guys. You aren’t going to find many ready-made guys coming out of college,” said defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who has been coaching his 3-4 system for more than 25 years.

[pbmax]

C'mon. MVP is pushing it. First you have to win Defensive POY.

[mission]

I voted MVP. Easy. :lol:

Just read on twitter: Chuck Norris just changed his name to Chuck So'oto

[pbmax]

I voted MVP. Easy. :lol:

Just read on twitter: Chuck Norris just changed his name to Chuck So'oto

I like that. Or my favorite, Geico just saved 15% with Vic So'oto.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The guy looks really good, just physically it is hard to believe he went undrafted.

I'm a little disturbed by all the creamed jeans in the forum, I might avoid the fan club just to play it cool.

[mission]

The guy looks really good, just physically it is hard to believe he went undrafted.

I'm a little disturbed by all the creamed jeans in the forum, I might avoid the fan club just to play it cool.

Ya it's really disturbing...

[smuggler]

Morning after and So'oto is still awesome. Changed my jeans, so all is well, Harlan.

[RashanGary]

The last game, was it AZ? Matthews had that bad ass sack where he hovered laterally across the turf. . . . . I said, "that's the first time I've ever seen Clay make that sack, he's going to be a beast" or something along those lines.

A quarter later, So'oto rounded the corner and no, he didn't get as low as Matthews, but he was mostly there. He can get the corner. He can bull rush. He's strong with this hands. . . . .

I have no doubt he'll be a good player against the run and rushing the passer. In coverage. . . . I don't know. This guy seems to have will-power. I think he'll find a way. Him and Zombo are 1 and 1a in my book of future starting OLB's on our team.

[Harlan Huckleby]

He's strong with his hands. . . . . . there goes another pair of jeans

[VermontPackFan]

He's strong with this hands. . . . .



Thats what I always like about him...

[mission]

JH - you saw something in the AZ preseason game that made you think CM3 is going to be a beast!?

[smuggler]

So'oto is a Golden God.

[Harlan Huckleby]

wow, the last time we saw this much man love in the forum was when Deputy Nutz fell hard for AJ Hawk

[3irty1]

I demand an honorary leadership position in this fan club unless someone can dig up higher praise than this at an earlier date than this:


So'oto is my pick to be a major find out of this years UDFA class.
http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?22514-Official-quot-Jump-to-Conclusions-Based-on-the-First-Preseason-Game-Thread-quot/page4

[mission]

I demand an honorary leadership position in this fan club unless someone can dig up higher praise than this at an earlier date than this:


http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?22514-Official-quot-Jump-to-Conclusions-Based-on-the-First-Preseason-Game-Thread-quot/page4

That's a pretty good call man!

[Brandon494]

I demand an honorary leadership position in this fan club unless someone can dig up higher praise than this at an earlier date than this:


http://packerrats.com/showthread.php?22514-Official-quot-Jump-to-Conclusions-Based-on-the-First-Preseason-Game-Thread-quot/page4

Nice call

[smuggler]

I don't care anything about leadership. I want more of Trader Vic So'oto, Golden God, license to kill (quarterbacks).

[bobblehead]

Harlan, I joined the other fan club you started, but I am officially rescinding my membership (can I do that?). Vic is the madhat. I just watched the KC game finally on NFL network and f@@@ng A he has skills. I am going back to the poll of "who is starting olb opposite mathews" and changing my vote to So'ottoero (Is he related to the supreme court justice?). I honestly believe that he will replace Walden before the season is over. He is the 2nd most talented OLB on the team right now.

Ok, gotta go change my jeans.

[Harlan Huckleby]

So'oto great, and not
http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110902/PKR07/110902146/Eric-Baranczyk-analysis-3-backups-shine-vs-Chiefs

So’oto had a pretty darn good game (1½ sacks, a forced fumble, a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown) but it’s worth nothing that for as many good plays as he had, he had some stinkers, too. Occasionally against the run, he turns his shoulders parallel to the line of scrimmage, which allows the running back to get outside him. Not real bad, but he has to stay square and not give up the edge.

The first week of camp, he was a guy you eyeball cut right away, but something clicked with him. He’s a big, strong guy who uses his hands well.

As his career goes on — it looks like he will have a career in the NFL — he’ll probably have to drop a few from his current 263 pounds so he’s quicker in pass coverage. He can run with right ends, but he has to work on his trailing technique and get his hands on the guys on the line of scrimmage so he can direct them where he wants them to go rather than them directing him.

Straight-line speed is one thing, but having quick feet and adjusting directionally is a different story. He’s still a little tight in the hips, there’s no arguing that. Is he serviceable? Yeah, he can play. It will be interesting to see what happens when teams see tape of him, if they attack him with tight ends and running backs. Maybe the Packers won’t have him cover much, just have him play downhill most of the time.

Kind of doubt So’oto will play much except on special teams unless there are some injuries, but he has upside. If he can improve in coverage and always be square around the line of scrimmage, he could be good.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I don't know what to make of So'oto. Got to see what he can do in a real game. He does look like he can get physical with an offensive tackle, he has some pass rush.

[vince]

He looks a hell of a lot better than Zombo did at this time last year as a pash rusher and playmaker. Zombo got better. If So'oto gets better and rounds out his game to be more reliable against the run and in coverage, he could be the answer to quite a few questions about this defense. Plus, I don't think Dom is going to put him in situations where he thinks he's likely to fail. Like you said, he needs to do it against more guys in real games, but he looks like he could eventually command more than a one-on-one blocker. The Dom is creaming his jeans thinking of the possibilities.

[smuggler]

I'm absolutely thrilled to have him, but obviously we have to keep things in perspective with this dude. He is going to have hiccups, and he's going to have to adapt in a lot of ways.

........... He's still a golden god.

[rbaloha1]

He looks a hell of a lot better than Zombo did at this time last year as a pash rusher and playmaker. Zombo got better. If So'oto gets better and rounds out his game to be more reliable against the run and in coverage, he could be the answer to quite a few questions about this defense. Plus, I don't think Dom is going to put him in situations where he thinks he's likely to fail. Like you said, he needs to do it against more guys in real games, but he looks like he could eventually command more than a one-on-one blocker. The Dom is creaming his jeans thinking of the possibilities.

Good summation. So'oto is more powerful, explosive and athletic.

IMO eventually starts opposite Matthews.

[Iron Mike]

That's all Green Bay needs is a bunch of Mormon Samoans running around there.....

[KYPack]

That's all Green Bay needs is a bunch of Mormon Samoans running around there.....

Capers likes to run a gimmick defense from time to time. He ran it against the Bears in the regular season, the game where Walden went off. It used to be called a "storm". The backer has one responsibility. He checks for a circle by the back and if there isn't one, he blitzes. You can run it against certain teams when they are in certain formations. It's perfect for So' oto. I think you will see him get his start in that set. Dom used that last year to break in Zombo.

[gbgary]

http://www.drinksecrets.com/images/drinks/megahuge/xxl_pina_colada.png

[rbaloha1]

That's all Green Bay needs is a bunch of Mormon Samoans running around there.....

Samoans are born with that crazy warrior mindset. Manti Teo from Notre Dame would be another great fit.