Brandon Spikes is having fun being back with the Gators as a student assistant coach helping mentor the linebackers. (Photo: Jordan Herald/UAA Communications)
Brandon Spikes Eager to Share Knowledge of Highs and Lows — And Teach Some Nasty, Too
Wednesday, August 23, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
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By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The hulking middle linebacker with the long hair and bulging biceps was introduced to a wide-ranging global audience this week with the release of "Swamp Kings," a Netflix documentary on the Urban Meyer-era Gators.
Brandon Spikes needs no introduction to Florida fans who recall that time.
"He had such influence,'' quarterback Tim Tebow said in the documentary. "Other players didn't have as big a personality. They didn't have the presence. When Spikes walks in, everybody notices."
Spikes, who turns 36 next month, recently strolled back into the Gators' locker room as a student assistant coach, returning to UF to finish his degree and reunite with the game he loves.
The current Gators took notice.
"It was just a moment like, 'Holy crap, that's B. Spikes!' " Gators outside linebacker Jack Pyburn said. "And then just getting to know him makes it really cool. When you get to know him, he's just another guy. He's got the right mentality, and he's done things the right way that has made him who he is." Gators linebacker Brandon Spikes during his playing career at UF from 2006-09. (File photo)
Spikes has made appearances on campus since his NFL career with the Patriots and Bills ended in 2016 — he was inducted into the UF Athletic Hall of Fame in the same class as Tebow in 2020 — but he has spent most of his post-playing career learning how to be a father to 8-year-old daughter Bella and carving out a life as a non-player.
He remained in contact with former Gators teammate Vernell Brown, who served as the team's senior director of player development until leaving earlier this year to help manage Anthony Richardson's NFL career. Spikes initially showed interest to return in a player development role, but once head coach Billy Napier learned that Spikes planned to come back, the talks intensified.
"Timing is everything," Spikes said. "[Coach Napier] has the right mindset. He's a winner, and I want to be a part of that. And it's home. I'm in a great place mentally, and I can help. I just want to bring value and basically get this thing back to how we left it. I've seen how it should be done. You don't come to Florida to be mediocre. The bar is set, and I will do everything in my power to enforce what is set here."
Spikes (2008, '09) and Gators outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson (1998) are the last two UF linebackers to earn first-team All-American honors.
The decision to offer Spikes a spot as a student assistant working with the linebackers was a no-brainer in Napier's mind.
"He really cares about the University of Florida and what this place did for him not only as a football player but as a man, as a student. That helped get his path in life, and he's had legitimate success at the professional level," Napier said. "Immediately, he brings credibility, pedigree, production, and I respect Brandon. Brandon is very intelligent. He's been around a lot of football, a lot of players, a lot of coaches, a lot of teams.
"He's done a good job of mentoring players. He's already connected with a number of guys. I think Spikes is going to make our team better."
Spikes is one of the poster players from the Meyer era. He was the man among boys, playing from 2006-09 and helping the Gators win a pair of national championships. However, as "Swamp Kings" reveals, Spikes battled the maturity and commitment issues many young players face when they get to college.
In the third episode, Meyer challenged Spikes in the locker room following the 2007 loss at LSU that ended Florida's bid to repeat as national champions. The 28-24 loss in Baton Rouge was a crushing blow during Tebow's Heisman-winning season.
"Do not let the human element take over this team. You hear me, Brandon Spikes,'' Meyer said. "The Michael Jordans of the world do not let that happen."
In a recent interview, Meyer added moments later: "We were soft, a splintered team. I'm looking for someone to grab this team. Tim's trying, but Tim can't do it, not by himself. We needed Brandon Spikes to be that leader."
Brandon Spikes has returned to UF to finish his degree and is serving as a student assistant coach with the Gators. (Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)
Spikes answered the call and became a cult hero in Gator Nation, highlighted by his crushing tackle on Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno in Florida's 2008 victory over the Bulldogs.
Spikes said he returned to revive that attitude on the field.
"I feel that's my contribution to the game, my journey,'' he said. "A lot of young kids, they're lost. I think I need to give them the game. A whole bunch of OGs looked out for me when I was here, taught me what to do, what not to do. I think I need to give that same knowledge back to them so they can try to do things right.
"I want them to get that nasty. You know what I'm saying. When you play linebacker, everybody is not going to like you. Quit trying to be likable. You've got to hurt some feelings, and you've got to hold your guys accountable. You are playing a nasty position. You've got to get nasty, dirty, get in the trenches, and love it."
While Spikes still has the vigor of a player, he is also older and wiser, having spent a significant portion of his NFL career playing for the all-business Bill Belichick in New England. Meyer, Belichick and former UF linebackers coach Charlie Strong all impacted him in different ways, Spikes said, and he has much knowledge to share.
He wants to impart as much as he can to Florida's players. He has spent most of the past few years watching Bella Spikes, a tough defender on her soccer team, show some of the same tenacity on the field as her father.
When Spikes, listed at 6-3, 250 pounds in his playing career, starts talking about her, his demeanor changes instantly.
"She is amazing," he said. "A great girl. I'm blessed to have her in my life, and that's what motivates me to be here and do what I need to do."
He is here to finish his degree and set an example for Bella. And while he is here, Spikes plans to be an example for the Gators.
He wants them to experience what he did: championships and moments of a lifetime.
Who knows, perhaps another documentary one day on the Gators.
"They say they got dreams of playing in the NFL, well, 'this is how you get there, and that's definitely not going to get you there.' That's ultimately what it is," Spikes said. "I've had some dark days. I've had some real good days. My experiences, I share those and just try to help them navigate through life.
"A lot of intelligent guys. But they need to be more nasty. You sign up to play linebacker at Florida, it's a standard here. Mediocrity won't be allowed. I'm a bit old-school. But they respond to me, and I think they respect me and know I played the game the right way. I missed the guys in the locker room. It's been fun."
