TALLAHASSEE – Florida State has employed famend offensive line coach Herb Hand, FSU head coach Mike Norvell introduced Tuesday.
Hand reunites with Norvell, who he coached with at Tulsa, and FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who he has beforehand labored with at Tulsa, Auburn and UCF. Hand has coached offensive traces that blocked for rushers that broke this system’s profession speeding data at West Virginia, Tulsa and Vanderbilt and, most not too long ago, helped RJ Harvey publish the second-highest profession speeding complete in UCF historical past.
“I am excited to convey Herb Hand on workers as our offensive line coach,” Norvell stated. “He has a exceptional profession and has demonstrated the power to develop offensive line items that permit for playmakers to shine. I’ve seen firsthand his technical experience and skill to attach with recruits and gamers to share that data. Having Herb on our workers will likely be an ideal profit to not solely our offensive linemen, however this system as a complete.”
Hand brings 25 years of teaching expertise on the FBS stage, with stops at Clemson, West Virginia, Tulsa, Vanderbilt, Penn State, Auburn, Texas and UCF. He has been a part of six convention championship groups and three extra that received division crowns, and he has coached 38 all-conference performers.
Hand coached eight all-conference linemen whereas serving to UCF produce a top-10 speeding assault in every of the final three seasons because the Knights ranked seventh in 2024 with a mean of 248.1 yards per sport after rating fourth in 2023 and ninth in 2022. The 2023 staff additionally was eighth within the nation in complete offense, averaging 487.0 yards per sport, fourth in third-down conversion share and eighth in passing yards per completion.
UCF’s 2024 offense ranked sixteenth nationally in complete offense behind first-team All-Massive 12 operating again RJ Harvey who ranked within the prime 5 nationally in all-purpose yards, factors per sport, speeding yards per sport and speeding touchdowns. Hand wrapped up his first season in Orlando with 288 speeding yards in a win over Florida within the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl earlier than serving to the Knights attain the 2022 AAC Championship Recreation with an offense that averaged 469.6 yards per sport to rank sixteenth within the nation in complete offense.
His time at Texas produced 9 All-Massive 12 linemen that helped the Longhorns earn three bowl wins, together with a victory over No. 6 Georgia within the Sugar Bowl to conclude the 2018 season. In 2020, left sort out Samuel Cosmi earned first-team all-conference and third-team All-America accolades earlier than being chosen within the second spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“I am very excited and honored to affix the teaching workers at Florida State,” Hand stated. “The wealthy historical past and custom of excellence throughout the Seminole program is unequalled, and I’m actually honored to symbolize the Garnet and Gold. This will likely be my second time working with Mike Norvell, so I do know the kind of ardour he brings every day. I stay up for serving Coach Norvell, our gamers and the neighborhood of Tallahassee to the very best of my talents in my function as offensive line coach. Go Noles!”
Hand labored with Malzahn for 2 seasons at Auburn, the place he produced a Joe Moore Award finalist unit in 2017 led by first-team All-American and the convention’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Braden Smith. The road additionally blocked for operating again Kerryon Johnson, the SEC’s Offensive Participant of the Yr and a second-team All-American. That 12 months, the Tigers had been one among 5 groups within the nation to common a minimum of 230 passing yards and 215 speeding yards per sport and likewise broke the varsity’s single-season report by scoring a minimum of 40 factors in eight video games. The 2016 Auburn offensive line featured two All-People and three All-SEC picks. Operating again Kamryn Pettway ranked eleventh within the nation together with his SEC-best common of 122.4 speeding yards per sport.
Earlier than his time at Auburn, Hand spent two seasons as Penn State’s run sport coordinator and offensive line coach. In 2015, his group paved the best way for Massive Ten Freshman of the Yr Saquon Barkley to interrupt this system’s freshman speeding report with 1,076 yards on the bottom. Hand’s first season in Joyful Valley produced second-round NFL Draft decide Donovan Smith who went on to a nine-year NFL profession that included wins in Tremendous Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and Tremendous Bowl LVIII with Kansas Metropolis.
Hand coached the offensive line at Vanderbilt for 4 seasons from 2010-13 and added run sport coordinator obligations in 2013. With Hand because the run sport coordinator, the Commodores rushed for 34 touchdowns, together with a single-season school-record 14 speeding scores by Jerron Seymour. Previous to Seymour’s breakout efficiency, Hand’s offensive line helped Zac Stacy break Vanderbilt data for speeding yards in a season and in a profession.
Hand joined the Vanderbilt workers after three years at Tulsa. With Norvell, Malzahn and Hand on workers, Tulsa put collectively the very best offense within the nation. The 2007 offense averaged 543.9 yards and 41.1 factors per sport earlier than bettering to 569.9 yards and 47.2 factors per sport in 2008. Tulsa led the nation in complete offense in 2007 and ranked second nationally in complete offense and scoring offense in 2008. In 2009, Hand and Norvell continued the run by producing marking the primary time in program historical past the Golden Hurricane had a 1,000-yard receiver in three consecutive seasons.
Earlier than his time at Tulsa, Hand was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia from 2001-06, serving to the Mountaineers win three convention championships and earn 5 consecutive bowl appearances. The 2006 staff completed 11-2 after defeating Georgia within the Sugar Bowl and produced an offense that ranked No. 2 nationally in speeding, No. 3 in scoring and No. 4 in complete offense.
Hand started his collegiate teaching profession as a graduate assistant teaching linebackers at West Virginia Wesleyan. He was then defensive coordinator at Glenville State from 1994-96, serving to the Pioneers win three straight convention championships, earlier than transferring to Harmony School as defensive coordinator and particular groups coordinator in 1997 and 1998. He moved into FBS teaching as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson in 1999 and 2000, serving to the Tigers attain the Peach Bowl and the Gator Bowl.
Hand earned his bachelor’s diploma in historical past from Hamilton School in 1990 and accomplished his grasp’s diploma in enterprise administration from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1993. He was a three-year starter on the offensive line at Hamilton School, the place he additionally served as a staff captain and earned All-New England Small School Athletic Convention honors in 1989.
Hand reunites with Norvell, who he coached with at Tulsa, and FSU offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who he has beforehand labored with at Tulsa, Auburn and UCF. Hand has coached offensive traces that blocked for rushers that broke this system’s profession speeding data at West Virginia, Tulsa and Vanderbilt and, most not too long ago, helped RJ Harvey publish the second-highest profession speeding complete in UCF historical past.
“I am excited to convey Herb Hand on workers as our offensive line coach,” Norvell stated. “He has a exceptional profession and has demonstrated the power to develop offensive line items that permit for playmakers to shine. I’ve seen firsthand his technical experience and skill to attach with recruits and gamers to share that data. Having Herb on our workers will likely be an ideal profit to not solely our offensive linemen, however this system as a complete.”
Hand brings 25 years of teaching expertise on the FBS stage, with stops at Clemson, West Virginia, Tulsa, Vanderbilt, Penn State, Auburn, Texas and UCF. He has been a part of six convention championship groups and three extra that received division crowns, and he has coached 38 all-conference performers.
Hand coached eight all-conference linemen whereas serving to UCF produce a top-10 speeding assault in every of the final three seasons because the Knights ranked seventh in 2024 with a mean of 248.1 yards per sport after rating fourth in 2023 and ninth in 2022. The 2023 staff additionally was eighth within the nation in complete offense, averaging 487.0 yards per sport, fourth in third-down conversion share and eighth in passing yards per completion.
UCF’s 2024 offense ranked sixteenth nationally in complete offense behind first-team All-Massive 12 operating again RJ Harvey who ranked within the prime 5 nationally in all-purpose yards, factors per sport, speeding yards per sport and speeding touchdowns. Hand wrapped up his first season in Orlando with 288 speeding yards in a win over Florida within the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl earlier than serving to the Knights attain the 2022 AAC Championship Recreation with an offense that averaged 469.6 yards per sport to rank sixteenth within the nation in complete offense.
His time at Texas produced 9 All-Massive 12 linemen that helped the Longhorns earn three bowl wins, together with a victory over No. 6 Georgia within the Sugar Bowl to conclude the 2018 season. In 2020, left sort out Samuel Cosmi earned first-team all-conference and third-team All-America accolades earlier than being chosen within the second spherical of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“I am very excited and honored to affix the teaching workers at Florida State,” Hand stated. “The wealthy historical past and custom of excellence throughout the Seminole program is unequalled, and I’m actually honored to symbolize the Garnet and Gold. This will likely be my second time working with Mike Norvell, so I do know the kind of ardour he brings every day. I stay up for serving Coach Norvell, our gamers and the neighborhood of Tallahassee to the very best of my talents in my function as offensive line coach. Go Noles!”
Hand labored with Malzahn for 2 seasons at Auburn, the place he produced a Joe Moore Award finalist unit in 2017 led by first-team All-American and the convention’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Braden Smith. The road additionally blocked for operating again Kerryon Johnson, the SEC’s Offensive Participant of the Yr and a second-team All-American. That 12 months, the Tigers had been one among 5 groups within the nation to common a minimum of 230 passing yards and 215 speeding yards per sport and likewise broke the varsity’s single-season report by scoring a minimum of 40 factors in eight video games. The 2016 Auburn offensive line featured two All-People and three All-SEC picks. Operating again Kamryn Pettway ranked eleventh within the nation together with his SEC-best common of 122.4 speeding yards per sport.
Earlier than his time at Auburn, Hand spent two seasons as Penn State’s run sport coordinator and offensive line coach. In 2015, his group paved the best way for Massive Ten Freshman of the Yr Saquon Barkley to interrupt this system’s freshman speeding report with 1,076 yards on the bottom. Hand’s first season in Joyful Valley produced second-round NFL Draft decide Donovan Smith who went on to a nine-year NFL profession that included wins in Tremendous Bowl LV with Tampa Bay and Tremendous Bowl LVIII with Kansas Metropolis.
Hand coached the offensive line at Vanderbilt for 4 seasons from 2010-13 and added run sport coordinator obligations in 2013. With Hand because the run sport coordinator, the Commodores rushed for 34 touchdowns, together with a single-season school-record 14 speeding scores by Jerron Seymour. Previous to Seymour’s breakout efficiency, Hand’s offensive line helped Zac Stacy break Vanderbilt data for speeding yards in a season and in a profession.
Hand joined the Vanderbilt workers after three years at Tulsa. With Norvell, Malzahn and Hand on workers, Tulsa put collectively the very best offense within the nation. The 2007 offense averaged 543.9 yards and 41.1 factors per sport earlier than bettering to 569.9 yards and 47.2 factors per sport in 2008. Tulsa led the nation in complete offense in 2007 and ranked second nationally in complete offense and scoring offense in 2008. In 2009, Hand and Norvell continued the run by producing marking the primary time in program historical past the Golden Hurricane had a 1,000-yard receiver in three consecutive seasons.
Earlier than his time at Tulsa, Hand was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia from 2001-06, serving to the Mountaineers win three convention championships and earn 5 consecutive bowl appearances. The 2006 staff completed 11-2 after defeating Georgia within the Sugar Bowl and produced an offense that ranked No. 2 nationally in speeding, No. 3 in scoring and No. 4 in complete offense.
Hand started his collegiate teaching profession as a graduate assistant teaching linebackers at West Virginia Wesleyan. He was then defensive coordinator at Glenville State from 1994-96, serving to the Pioneers win three straight convention championships, earlier than transferring to Harmony School as defensive coordinator and particular groups coordinator in 1997 and 1998. He moved into FBS teaching as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson in 1999 and 2000, serving to the Tigers attain the Peach Bowl and the Gator Bowl.
Hand earned his bachelor’s diploma in historical past from Hamilton School in 1990 and accomplished his grasp’s diploma in enterprise administration from West Virginia Wesleyan in 1993. He was a three-year starter on the offensive line at Hamilton School, the place he additionally served as a staff captain and earned All-New England Small School Athletic Convention honors in 1989.
Hand and his spouse, Debbie, have two sons, Trey and Cade, and one daughter, Bailey.
Herb Hand Teaching Historical past
2025- Florida State Offensive Line Coach
2021-24 UCF Offensive Line Coach
2018-20 Texas co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
2016-17 Auburn Offensive Line Coach
2014-15 Penn State Run Recreation Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
2013 Vanderbilt Run Recreation Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
2010-12 Vanderbilt Offensive Line Coach
2009 Tulsa Affiliate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
2008 Tulsa co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach/Director of Recruiting
2007 Tulsa co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
2001-06 West Virginia Tight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
1999-2000 Clemson Graduate Assistant
1997-98 Harmony School Defensive Coordinator/Particular Groups Coordinator
1994-96 Glenville State Defensive Coordinator
1991-93 West Virginia Wesleyan Graduate Assistant
