Herb Hand Rejoins Gus Malzahn as New UCF Football Offensive Line Coach

Herb Hand, who worked with Gus Malzahn at Tulsa in 2007-08 when they produced the number-one offense in the country and also coached the Auburn offensive line that helped the Tigers rank as one of three finalists for the 2017 Joe Moore Award as the top offensive line in the nation, has joined Malzahn's UCF football staff as the Knights' offensive line coach.

Hand most recently spent three seasons as co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Texas, has enjoyed great success in stints at Auburn, Penn State, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Tulsa—and has coached in offenses that produced all-time leading rushers at West Virginia, Tulsa and Vanderbilt.

In both 2020 and 2019, both Texas center Zach Shackelford and left tackle Samuel Cosmi earned All-Big 12 honors. Cosmi was a unanimous first-team all-league pick in 2020 and went on to earn third-team All-America honors from the Associated Press. In his three years at Texas, Hand saw nine offensive linemen earn All-Big 12 recognition.

After Hand's unit paved the way for Texas to rush for 231 yards against 11thranked Utah in the 2019 Valero Alamo Bowl, the Longhorns' offensive line received All-Bowl recognition from Sports Illustrated. Cosmi was recognized individually by the Associated Press and ESPN as an All-Bowl performer for his Alamo Bowl showing.

In 2018, all five starting offensive lineman garnered All-Big 12 honors, led by center Shackelford's first-team recognition (AP) and second-team honors (coaches). Calvin Anderson, Elijah Rodriguez and Patrick Vahe were honorable mention, while Cosmi received votes as the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and was a freshman All-American.

Hand has worked with programs that produced six conference championships in addition to three division championships. Offenses Hand has coached on have produced all-time leading rushers at three different schools including West Virginia, Tulsa and Vanderbilt.

A three-time finalist for Offensive Line Coach of the Year by Football Scoop (2008, 2016-17), Hand was also co-coordinator for an offense that led the nation in total offense for two consecutive years (2007-08) at Tulsa, one of which is the only offense to feature a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and three 1,000 yard receivers (2007). He has also coached five Freshman All-Americans.

Hand came to Austin from Auburn, where he served for two seasons as offensive line coach under Malzahn, whom he was previously co-coordinator with at Tulsa. While at Auburn, Hand's offensive line was named one of three finalists for the Joe Moore Award (nation's top offensive line) in 2017, and the unit was a semifinalist for the award in 2016. During that time, along with his time at Vanderbilt, he coached players who earned 11 Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week Awards.

In 2017, Auburn ranked in the top 30 in the nation in total offense (26th/451.6 yards per game), scoring offense (27th/33.9) and rushing offense (26th/218.3), while ranking sixth in completion percentage (.668) and 15th in third-down conversion percentage (.455). The Tigers' balanced offense was one of only five nationally to average at least 230 yards passing and 215 yards rushing per game, along with Louisville, Oklahoma, Ohio State and South Florida. Auburn's eight 40-point games during the season set a school single-season record.

Under Hand, right guard Braden Smith earned All-America honors from all NCAA-recognized outlets including a first-team nod from the Associated Press, and a second-team selection from all others (WCFF, FWAA, AFCA and Sporting News). Smith also earned the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy, as the top blocker in the conference, along with being named first-team All-SEC by both the league's coaches and the Associated Press. Along with Smith, left tackle Austin Golson was tabbed third-team All-SEC by Phil Steele. The line paved the way for running back Kerryon Johnson to rank 15th nationally in rushing yards per game (115.9) and ninth in rushing TDs (18), while being named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and second-team All-America.

In 2016, Auburn led the SEC and was sixth nationally in rushing with 271.3 yards per game. Both the scoring offense and total offense ranked in the Top 50 in the nation. Two offensive linemen in Smith and left guard Alex Kozan garnered second-team All-America honors and both were first-team All-SEC selections. Right tackle Robert Leff also took home All-SEC recognition. The offensive line was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, and Hand was a finalist for Football Scoop's Offensive Line Coach of the Year award. The line cleared the way for running back Kamryn Pettway to lead the SEC and rank 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game (122.4 yards per game). Auburn finished 2016 with an 8-5 record and an appearance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Hand went to Auburn after two seasons at Penn State as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach. In 2015, the unit blocked for Big Ten Freshman of the Year Saquon Barkley as he set Penn State's freshman rushing record with 1,076 yards. In 2014, Hand's young offensive line steadily improved and produced second-round NFL Draft pick Donovan Smith, who was chosen by Tampa Bay.

Hand coached the offensive line at Vanderbilt from 2010-13, adding run game coordinator duties in 2013. In 2013, Vanderbilt's offensive line blocked for 34 rushing touchdowns, including a school-record 14 by running back Jerron Seymour. Hand helped Wesley Johnson earn All-SEC honors in 2012 and 2013 and then end up selected in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hand's 2011-12 offensive lines were instrumental in Zac Stacy breaking the Vanderbilt season and career (3,143 yards) rushing records at that time.

Prior to Vanderbilt, Hand worked three years at Tulsa, serving as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. Hand helped guide Tulsa to consecutive GMAC Bowl appearances behind one of the NCAA's most explosive spread offenses, while mentoring four Freshman All-Americans. As Tulsa's co-offensive coordinator with Malzahn, Hand coached an offensive line that paved the way for the nation's top-ranked offense in 2007 and 2008. He was a finalist for national offensive line coach of the year in 2008.

In 2007, the offense became the only one in NCAA history to feature a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and three 1,000-yard receivers. Quarterback Paul Smith passed for 5,065 yards, while running back Tarrion Adams rushed for 1,225 yards, and the trio of Brennan Marion (1,244), Trae Johnson (1,088) and Charles Clay (1,024) each topped 1,000 receiving yards. As a whole, the offense led the nation with 543.9 total yards per game, was third with 371.0 passing yards per game and sixth with 41.1 points per game. A year later, the offense averaged 569.9 total yards per game, while ranking in the top 10 in both rushing (fifth/268.0 yards per game) and passing (ninth/301.9) offense. The scoring offense ranked second with 47.2 points per game. 

Hand spent six successful years at West Virginia, serving as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Hand helped the Mountaineers win three Big East Conference titles and go to five straight bowl games during the span, including a 38-35 victory over SEC champion Georgia in the 2006 Sugar Bowl. In 2006, West Virginia finished with an 11-2 record and had an offense that ranked second nationally in rushing, third in scoring, and fourth in total offense.

Prior to West Virginia, Hand served as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson for two seasons (1999-2000), as the Tigers participated in the 1999 Peach Bowl and 2001 Gator Bowl. Before that, he served as defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at Concord College in West Virginia. He also was defensive coordinator at another WVIAC program, Glenville State, where he helped the Pioneers win three WVIAC Championships.

Hand earned his bachelor's degree in history from Hamilton College in 1990, where he was a three-year starter on the offensive line for the Continentals, serving as team captain and earning All-NESCAC honors in 1989. He earned a master's degree in business administration in 1993 from West Virginia Wesleyan while serving as a graduate assistant.

A native of Westmoreland, New York, Hand and his wife, Debbie, have three children—sons Trey and Cade and a daughter, Bailey.

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