Brandon Antwine - One Final Chance To Shine
Monday, September 6, 2010 | Football
By Susie Epp, UF Communications
When Brandon Antwine was a ninth grader in Garland, Texas, he came to the realization that he was a good at football. After his coaches in middle school had given him special attention, high school coaches started taking a special interest in his development.
After he came to this realization, Antwine decided that he was going to do everything he possibly could to get better so he could earn a college athletic scholarship and help his mom, a single mother.
“I wanted to make things easier on my mom,” said Antwine. “She was under a lot of pressure, being a single mother and everything, so I wanted to do everything I could to get a scholarship and play football somewhere.”
Antwine understood that he must continue to work on his skills on the field, but he also knew he had to hit the books and consistently meet academic qualifications.
In addition to improving his football skills and keeping his grades up, Antwine also had to fight through plenty of challenges. Since he was little, he always had wanted to play the running back position, but his build did not comply with running back standards.
“I always dreamed of playing running back, but my coaches thought I would be more successful as a lineman,” said Antwine. “At the time, this was really frustrating, but it ended up helping me in the end.”
For Antwine, the positive aspects of the game outweighed the negative times. He grew to embrace playing on the defensive side of the ball and eventually learned to love it. As his defensive skill set improved, so did his passion for the game of football.
“In Texas, football is the main attraction and everyone is out there watching you,” said Antwine. “It is such a humbling experience and I just went out there to have fun.”
In addition to having fun on the field, Antwine also finished his high school career rated as the No. 2 defensive lineman in Texas and No. 16 national prospect according to Scout.com. He was also considered the No. 20 overall prospect according to Rivals.com.
As it came time for his college decision, Antwine had narrowed his list down to two schools: Southern California and Florida. He never considered going to any of his home-state schools.
“I wanted to get out of Texas,” said Antwine. “I realized that I wasn't always going to have my mom around and I wanted to go out and do this on my own. However, I still talk to my mom every day and every night.”
For Antwine, his decision to come to the University of Florida was based on the coaches, players and an atmosphere that reminded him of home.
“Florida was just a good fit for me,” said Antwine. “To me, it felt like the closest thing to home. When I came to Gainesville for visits, the players and coaches were really nice and welcoming.”
Although Antwine has spent much of his college career battling through injuries, he has found ways to improve his leadership skills off the field. He has used his Family, Youth and Community Services major to partake in various events for the community and spend time with underprivileged youth in Gainesville.
“I consider myself a leader,” said Antwine. “A lot of teammates look up to me. As long as I'm being a motivator, and providing assistance to someone else, I consider that a blessing.”
Antwine plans on competing through his senior season with a sense of renewal and toughness. In 2007, he was nominated for the FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award and Disney Sports Spirit Award for recovering from a career-threatening back injury.
“I am a fighter,” said Antwine. “I am going to try and get back to where I belong on the field and make this year count. I am still trying to accomplish my dreams.”
A two-time national and SEC champion, Antwine also anticipates being a key part of the Orange and Blue
this fall.
“I want to be a leader on and off the field this year,” said Antwine. “We all need to stay healthy so we can win another National Championship.”
