It has not officially been announced yet, but it appears that James Franklin has rounded out his new staff at Penn State with another Vanderbilt coach – this time offensive line coach Herb Hand.
Hand, who interviewed for the Vanderbilt head coaching job, took to Twitter to reveal that he will not return to Vandy for the 2014 season on new coach Derek Mason’s staff. He was not specific about his next destination, but wrote that leaving Vanderbilt is “a bittersweet moment” but he wants to “continue to pursue [his] dream of being a head coach.”
Many thanks for four great seasons. #BOB pic.twitter.com/2AbEOwAagF
— Herb Hand (@CoachHand) January 21, 2014
Shortly after Hand sent out the tweet, Commodores offensive tackle Blake Fromang, in reference to the recruits who have followed Franklin from Vanderbilt to Penn State, tweeted that Hand is Penn State’s “best recruit of the year.”
Penn State just got their best recruit of the year. @CoachHand its been an honor and I wish you the best of luck #bblmf — Blake Fromang (@Flocka_Fromang) January 21, 2014
Coaching Search reported that Hand would head to Penn State and Vanderbilt special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Charles Bankins also wished Hand well.
Yes Herb Hand is heading to Penn State. Penn State is getting a good one
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) January 21, 2014
Sorry to see @CoachHand leave us to go to PSU. We had a great run together. We wish the hand family nothing but the best. #AnchorDown. — Charles Bankins (@FBCoachBankins) January 21, 2014
Hand will join six other former Vanderbilt assistants – John Donovan, Bob Shoop, Josh Gattis, Brent Pry, Ricky Rahne and Sean Spencer -- in Happy Valley.
Hand is considered one of the most-respected offensive line coaches in the country and beyond his work with football, Hand was also involved with a Nashville organization called Our Kids that deals with child sexual abuse. With the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal propelling Penn State into the headlines the past few years, Hand can certainly help with Penn State’s continuing efforts to fight child abuse.
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