A History of Offensive Line Coaches at UCF
The offensive line is the engine of any successful football team. At the University of Central Florida (UCF), a number of talented coaches have taken on the crucial role of molding and mentoring the offensive line. This article explores the history of UCF's offensive line coaches, highlighting their contributions and the successes of their units.
Herb Hand: A Focus on Versatility and National Recognition
Herb Hand, born on January 5, 1968, is a seasoned American football coach with a proven track record. He joined the UCF coaching staff on February 18, 2021, working alongside coach Gus Malzahn. He served as the Offensive Line Coach in 2021. In April 2022, he was promoted to Co-Offensive Coordinator.
Coaching Career Before UCF
Before his time at UCF, Hand built an impressive resume with stints at various universities. He began his coaching career at West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1991, serving as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons. He then held defensive coordinator positions at Glenville State from 1994 to 1996 and Concord College.
Hand later joined Rich Rodriguez's staff at West Virginia as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, a position he held for six years (2001-06). His career also includes tenures as the offensive line coach at Vanderbilt University (2010-2013), Penn State University, Auburn University, and the University of Texas.
Successes at UCF
Hand quickly made an impact at UCF. In 2023 Hand and his offensive line played a major role as UCF showcased one of the most productive offenses in the nation. The Knights ranked fourth in the country in rushing (228.2 yards per game, third-best figure in UCF annals) and eighth in total offense (487.0). The UCF line paved the way for star running back RJ Harvey (1,416 rushing yards) and two of the top four receivers in the Big 12 Conference (Javon Baker with 1,139 receiving yards and Kobe Hudson with 900). The Knights also led the league and rated fourth nationally in third-down conversions (.500). Veteran seniors Lokahi Pauole and Tylan Grable paced a veteran offensive line with 2023 honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition. The UCF offensive line was named to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award that goes annually to the top offensive line in the nation.
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In 2022, UCF was the only American Athletic Conference team to have all five starters recognized by Pro Football Focus in both 2021 and 2022. AAC coaches named tackle Ryan Swoboda and guard Lokahi Pauole to the 2022 all-league first team, while PFF tabbed guard Sam Jackson and center Matt Lee to its first team. Tackle Tylan Grable received third-team recognition from PFF. Pro Football Network selected Pauole to the All-AAC first team, Lee to the second team and named Swoboda as an honorable mention pick. The Knights in 2022 dominated in terms of running the football, ranking ninth nationally (second in the AAC) at 228.4 yards per outing. That sort of production enabled UCF to also rank 16th nationally in total offense (469.6 yards per game) and score 32.9 points per contest. The Knights rushed for a season-high 345 yards versus South Florida, added 336 in the road win at 17th-rated Tulane and two other times hit the 300-yard mark (Florida Atlantic and Temple). The UCF line play helped running back Isaiah Bowser account for 16 rushing touchdowns (10th nationally and second in the AAC).
PFF named guard Cole Schneider to its second team of 2021 All-AAC performers-- Lee and Pauole made the third team, while tackles Jackson and Marcus Tatum both merited honorable mention notice. On the All-AAC squad selected by league coaches, Pauole made the second team, while Schneider and Tatum were honorable mention picks. In addition, Phil Steele selected Pauole and Tatum second-team all-league, while naming Schneider to the third team. PFN placed Schneider on the All-AAC second team and handed Lee and Jackson honorable mention recognition. With the Knights claiming victories in six of their final seven games to close the 2021 season, Hand’s charges played key roles in leading a UCF offense that was forced to play major portions of the season without quarterback starter Dillon Gabriel, Bowser and receiver Jaylon Robinson. The Knights capped the year by running for 288 yards in their Gasparilla Bowl win over Florida--and only LSU with 321 ran for more versus the Gators in 2021. USA Today recognized that effort by selecting Lee to its all-bowl team.
Coach Hand was the only AAC line coach to have all five of his UCF starters earn some sort of postseason honors in both seasons recognized by Pro Football Focus in both 2021 and 2022. In 2022, UCF's o-line led the nation percentage of least blown block assignments on designed runs.
Hand has 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.
Coaching Style and Accomplishments
Hand is known for his ability to develop offensive linemen and create a cohesive unit. His offensive lines have consistently paved the way for successful rushing attacks and protected quarterbacks effectively.
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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.
During his time at Vanderbilt, he coached players who earned 11 Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week Awards. At Auburn, his offensive line was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award (nation's top offensive line) in 2016 and 2017. Under Hand, right guard Braden Smith earned first-team All-America honors from AP and also earned the SEC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top blocker in the conference. In 2016, Kamryn Pettway led the SEC and ranked 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game, making him a Doak Walker Award semifinalist (top running back in college football). The line paved the way for running back Kerryon Johnson to earn 2017 SEC Offensive Player of the Year and All-American honors. Nine offensive linemen were named All-Big 12 during his three years at Texas under Hand. All five of the starting offensive linemen in 2018 were named to the All-Big 12 team, led by Calvin Anderson, Zach Shackelford, and Patrick Vahe.
After Hand's unit paved the way for Texas to rush for 231 yards against 11th-ranked 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.
Personal Life
Hand suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage in 2006 while recruiting in Orlando, Florida.
Shawn Clark: A Focus on a Strong Running Game and Protecting the Quarterback
Shawn Clark (August 16, 1975 - September 21, 2025) was named UCF’s offensive line coach.
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Coaching Career Before UCF
Prior to joining UCF, Clark served as the head football coach at Appalachian State University from 2019 to 2024. An offensive lineman in college, Clark was a two-time All-American (1996 and 1998) and three-time all-conference selection (1995, 1996, 1998) for teams that went a combined 45-16 during his first five years in Boone.
He joined the Appalachian State staff as offensive line coach in 2016 under head coach Scott Satterfield, then becoming an assistant head coach in 2019.
Successes Before UCF
Clark developed over a dozen NFL offensive linemen in his career (including six O-line draft picks): Cooper Hodges, Larry Turner, Derek Hardman, Dennis Kelly, Nick Mondek, Jordan Roos, Rick Schmeig, Kevin Pamphile, Colby Gossett, Josh Kline, Armani Taylor-Prioleau, Ryan Neuzil, and Beau Nunn.
In 2017, they led the Sun Belt in both rushing yards and fewest sacks, allowing only eight sacks (ranked second nationally) and averaging 223.6 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd nationally. Appalachian State became the first Sun Belt Conference program to have three offensive linemen named to the all-conference first team (Colby Gossett, Beau Nunn, Victor Johnson). The 2018 team was 14th nationally in rushing yards per game (240.3) and 20th nationally with only 18 sacks allowed. Quarterback Justice Hansen was awarded the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year. The following season Quarterback Zac Thomas was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year.
Clark led the Mountaineers in their bowl game that year to a 31-17 victory over UAB Blazers in the New Orleans Bowl.
In 2023, Quarterback Joey Aguilar would also receive the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Award. During a 9-5 season in 2023, Clark posted his third bowl victory, a third straight season with a win against a top 25 opponent and a third season with at least nine victories. In 2022, Clark recorded App State’s first victory against an Associated Press (AP) top 10 opponent since 2007, taking down No.
In each of Clark’s four seasons coaching App State’s offensive line, the Mountaineers won four straight Sun Belt Conference titles while compiling a 43-10 record in that span. His offensive line ranked in the top 25 nationally in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed. The 2018 team ranked 14th nationally in rushing yards per game (240.3) and 20th nationally in sacks allowed (18). Quarterback Zac Thomas was named the Sun Belt's Offensive Player of the Year. The Mountaineers led the Sun Belt in both rushing yards and fewest sacks in 2017, as they allowed only eight sacks (No. 2 nationally) and averaged 223.6 rushing yards per game to rank 22nd in the country. App State averaged 315.8 rushing yards during its 4-0 finish, eclipsing 300 yards in each of the last three games, and it became the first Sun Belt program with three offensive linemen (Colby Gossett, Beau Nunn, Victor Johnson) named to the all-conference first team.
In 2016, the Mountaineers led the Sun Belt in rushing offense (250.9 yards per game to rank No. 10 nationally, as well as No.
His 2024 Appalachian State team led the Sun Belt in passing offense, averaging 273 yards through the air each game to rank 19th nationally. Quarterback Joey Aguilar led the league and ranked 21st in the nation in passing yards (3,003).
Coaching Style and Accomplishments
Clark is known for his focus on a strong running game and protecting the quarterback. His offensive lines have consistently ranked among the best in the nation in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed.
Education
Clark graduated from App State with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1998 and earned a master's degree in education from Louisville in 2003.
Personal Life
His wife, Jonelle, was a standout softball student-athlete at Eastern Kentucky and was inducted into EKU's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.
Tyler Hudanick
Tyler Hudanick was a member UCF's 2017 and 2018 American Athletic Conference Championship teams and the 2018 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl winning team. Hudanick worked for two seasons at UCF (2019-20), starting as a volunteer quality control assistant (2019) and transitioning to an offensive graduate assistant (2020) on Josh Heupel’s staff.
Coaching Career after UCF
Hudanick was named the Bull’s offensive line coach in December of 2022, joining head coach Alex Golesh’s first USF football staff.
He was most recently a graduate assistant at Tennessee (2021-22) working with the offensive line on Josh Heupel’s staff, where he worked with Golesh who was serving as the offensive coordinator for the nation’s most explosive offense. The Vols improved a scoring offense that skyrocketed 107 spots from 108th in the country in 2020 to seventh in 2021 and first in 2022. In 2022, Tennessee posted 10 wins and a No. 6 College Football Playoff ranking as the UT offense ranked No.
Successes after UCF
In his first season at USF, he helped the Bulls produce 12 team and 16 individual records as USF capped the biggest turnaround in program history (a six-win improvement) with a 45-0 rout of Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl. USF ranked No. Florida State transfer Zane Herring earned All-AAC honorable mention selection in his first season with the Bulls as USF integrated three new starters into the offensive line.
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