Baylor sophomore cornerback Harrison Hand to transfer

Insider Notes: Insight to Baylor’s recruiting close and which players are expected to make big jumps this spring

Baylor sophomore cornerback Harrison Hand, a four-game starter in 2018, is not expected to return to the program for the spring semester, SicEm365 has learned and confirmed.

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In his two years at Baylor, Hand totaled 52 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception and 12 passes defended. A bulk of those numbers, 42 tackles, 1 interception and 9 passes defended, came for Hand during his freshman season. 

After starting nine games as a true freshman in 2017, Hand was hampered with a lingering injury in fall camp that limited his reps with the defense and left him kept him from significant playing time early in the season. Hand started Baylor’s final four games of the season including against Vanderbilt in the Texas Bowl.

Possibly the most significant reason for his departure, the New Jersey native is close with former Baylor Assistant Head Coach Fran Brown, also Hand’s position coach while in Waco. At the time he gave his commitment to the Bears during his recruitment, his relationship with Brown was the driving factor in choosing the Bears.

Though it would make sense for Hand to likely land at Temple with Brown, SicEm365 currently has no further insight into the situation. Hand will be required to sit out the 2019 season to meet NCAA transfer requirements.

Baylor will return senior Jameson Houston, juniors Raleigh Texada and Grayland Arnold, sophomore Kalon Barnes, and redshirt freshmen Mark Milton and Byron Hanspard to the cornerback position this spring.