Colorado hires assistant coach with NFL experience

Colorado has hired former NFL wide receivers coach Phil McGeoghan to the same role under head coach Karl Dorrell, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz. The 42-year old assistant coach has been in coaching since 2007, working with professional athletes from 2012-15 and 2017-20.

Phil McGeoghan joins a new-look Colorado staff which has brought in several highly touted names for the 2022 season and beyond. The Buffaloes look to improve on their 4-8 finish after a 4-2 record in the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season.

Before entering coaching, McGeoghan played at Maine, going undrafted in 2001 before spending three seasons in the NFL for the Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints. During his time as a wide receiver with the Denver Broncos, McGeoghan worked under his then position coach and now boss Karl Dorrell.

More coaching changes at Colorado

Colorado and head coach Karl Dorrell have also hired former USC defensive line coach Vic So’oto to the same position. The 34-year old coach spent two seasons on Clay Helton’s staff before the turnover this offseason.

Vic So’oto brings five years of coaching experience at Virginia and USC to Colorado and spent three seasons in the NFL as a player after his college career at BYU. Just two seasons after retirement, he landed his first full-time coaching job as defensive line coach.

The addition of So’oto comes along with the announcement that former defensive line coach and defensive coordinator Chris Wilson will retain his coordinator role while coaching a new position group.

The Colorado Buffaloes have also hired Mike Sanford as their new offensive coordinator, the school announced. Sanford comes to the Buffaloes from the Minnesota Golden Gophers, where he was also the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from January 2020 to Nov. 29.

Before Minnesota, Sanford spent 2017-2018 as the head coach of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. He took the Hilltoppers to the AutoNation Cure Bowl in his first season, making him one of just five rookie head coaches to take his team to a bowl game that season.

Kyle DeVan is headed to Boulder as the new Colorado offensive line coach, per Chris Vannini of The Athletic. DeVan joined Michigan as an offensive analyst, working closely with the offensive line, last spring.

DeVan is a former Oregon State offensive guard who went undrafted in 2008 but played for the Washington Football Team, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans. He started for the Colts in the 2009 Super Bowl against the New Orleans Saints. Under his guidance, the Michigan offensive line won the Joe Moore Award for nation’s best offensive line.