FSU soccer offensive line coach Herb Hand talks new position on Seminoles employees
FSU soccer offensive line coach Herb Hand talks new position on Seminoles employees
Though Herb Hand, Gus Malzahn and Mike Norvell have been on the identical teaching employees in Tulsa for nearly twenty years in the past, their relationship has remained unchanged.
Now reunited at Florida State football, Hand seems ahead to working with Norvell for the second time because the offensive line coach.
“(I am) tremendous excited to get again with these guys, and we’re all minimize out of the identical fabric, if you’ll,” Hand mentioned on Tuesday whereas addressing the media.
“We imagine in the identical issues philosophically from an offensive perspective in addition to philosophically in terms of relationships with folks. There is a enterprise side to what we do. That is nonetheless in regards to the folks you do it with.”
Hand left UCF to hitch Malzahn after he resigned as head coach to turn into FSU’s offensive coordinator.
Hand knew that Norvell had what it takes to be a head coach whereas he was a graduate assistant at Tulsa. He remembered how he approached the position and labored up the teaching ranks.
“Mike is a Bulldog. He assaults every thing face-on, which is superior,” Hand mentioned.
“I am going again to when Mike was a GA and he was certainly one of our greatest recruiters, however he could not go on the highway as a result of he wasn’t allowed to go on the highway, however he signed a few of our high gamers. You sort of knew early on that he was going to be a pressure within the trade.”
Hand has solely been in Tallahassee for a short while. He’s nonetheless getting adjusted whereas going backwards and forwards to campus.
Nevertheless, he talked about FSU’s present graduate assistants, D’Mitri Emmanuel and Ben Miles, for displaying him round and guaranteeing he did not get misplaced within the services whereas on a good schedule.
“As quickly as I set foot on campus, they have been strolling and ensuring I am in the precise place on the proper time and since they have been caring for me,” Hand mentioned.
“These are two younger coaches I’ve already obtained quite a lot of respect for and I am excited to work with these guys.”
What’s Herb Hand’s requirement for highschool offensive linemen
Hand has been an assistant coach for 25 years and has developed top-tier skills on the offensive line.
When he’s on the recruiting path searching for prospects, there are components that he seems for when evaluating highschool prospects.
FSU soccer vast receiver coach Tim Harris Jr talks new position, Gus Malzahn
FSU soccer vast receiver coach Tim Harris Jr talks new position, Gus Malzahn
“First off, it begins with flexibility, the flexibility to bend,” Hand defined.
“That generally will get neglected with guys as a result of guys are massive and robust and bodily and all that stuff, however you may’t bend, then you may’t play.”
One other attribute Hand requires is a love for physicality in a sport. Basically, the lineman have to be fast on his toes and have robust hand placement.
“In the end, what we’re searching for is the fellows who could make an affect on the line of scrimmage, that may transfer folks, that may dent the protection, however guys who’re athletic sufficient to play in area,” Hand mentioned.
Hand has already met with the present O-line on FSU’s roster. Happily, it wasn’t an excessive amount of of an introduction. He was acquainted with a lot of the gamers as a result of he recruited for them.
One participant he talked about is sophomore Jaylen Early, who he supplied to play for Texas whereas he was O-Line coach for the Longhorns. Jonathan Daniels, Andre Otto, and Lucas Simmons have been additionally the gamers he introduced up on the subject.
The Seminoles should substitute three of their 5 starters from the 2024 season. Hand does not fear about how the road regarded final 12 months. He’s considering forward about how he desires the returning gamers to strategy the 2025 season.
“It is about being environment friendly and having an important plan day by day,” Hand mentioned.
“I don’t need to waste a minute in terms of working with our student-athletes to assist them be ready to achieve success after they hit the sphere. It is simply going to be in regards to the effectivity half.”
FSU soccer line of defense coach Terrance Knighton talks becoming a member of program
FSU soccer line of defense coach Terrance Knighton talks becoming a member of program
Herb Hand views the switch portal as ‘pace courting’
Hand will not be all about fundamentals. He cares in regards to the wellness of his gamers on and off the sphere. He thought-about all coaches to be drawback solvers, and a few might not have solved among the gamers’ points.
Over time, Hand has grown a brotherhood of offensive line coaches, however he understands that not all are minimize out for the final coach they have been with.
Hand does not need to overlook the nice issues a couple of participant and does not need to focus an excessive amount of on the participant’s flaws.
“We, as in coaches normally, need to make things better. We need to remedy issues with gamers, and what I imply by that’s method fundamentals, communication development, all these little issues that it takes to function,” Hand mentioned.
“You spend a lot time specializing in what’s fallacious with a man that generally you miss out on what’s proper with them.”
In the heights of the transfer portal era, Hand in contrast rising a bond with a switch portal participant to his normal highschool recruits.
The connection might be short-term for the switch portal gamers, whereas the gamers recruited all through their highschool careers really feel in a different way due to their long-term relationships.
“Typically it feels just like the switch portal is pace courting. You do not have the chance or the luxurious of attending to know anyone that you simply do in highschool recruiting, the place you begin to determine anyone after they’re a freshman or a sophomore in highschool. You construct a relationship with them over time,” Hand defined.
“Within the portal period, there are occasions when you’ve got relationships with guys that select to go some other place, otherwise you wind up some other place, like my scenario right here. I am at a brand new faculty, however I’ve relationships with guys which might be longstanding, and if a man like that goes into the portal that you simply really feel like you’ve got an important relationship with, that is a plus.”
FSU soccer safeties coach Evan Cooper talks becoming a member of teaching employees
FSU soccer safeties coach Evan Cooper talks becoming a member of teaching employees
FSU soccer’s present teaching employees
- Affiliate head coach: Odell Haggins (off the sphere)
- Offensive coordinator: Gus Malzahn
- Quarterbacks: Tony Tokarz
- Working backs/recruiting coordinator: David Johnson
- Move sport coordinator/ Large receivers: Tim Harris Jr
- Assistant vast receivers: Austin Tucker
- Tight ends: Chris Thomsen
- Offensive line: Herb Hand
- Defensive coordinator: Tony White
- Particular groups coordinator, linebackers: John Papuchis
- Assistant linebackers coach: Ernie Sims
- Defensive position: Terrance Knighton
- Defensive backs: Patrick Surtain Sr
- Safeties: Evan Cooper
FSU coaches now not on employees
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him through e-mail at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
