ShareThisEvery now and then, Brandon Spikes can still hear the voices.
Even now, as the leader of the No. 4 scoring defense in the nation, he can hear it. Even now, considered among the nation's best linebackers, he hears them. Even now, as he helps the No. 2 Florida Gators prepare to take on No. 1 Alabama in Saturday's SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, he still hears it.
The voices date to his early football playing days when he constantly heard he wasn't talented enough. He couldn't play the position he loved. He just didn't have what it takes.
"Mostly all my life, people have been doubting me, and (been) negative," said Spikes, a native of Shelby, N.C., who majors in social and behavioral sciences. "In middle school, they said, 'You won't play varsity.' In high school, they said, 'You'll never win a state championship.' So my whole career has been proving people wrong. If you doubt me, that's bad because I'm going to try my best to prove you wrong."
A four-year starter at linebacker and defensive end at Crest High, Spikes was rated the nation's No. 6 linebacker prospect by Scout.com when he chose UF over Alabama, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech.
Now a captain, the 6-3, 245-pound junior middle linebacker leads the team with 74 tackles, including eight for loss. Of his three interceptions, two have been returned for touchdowns; and he's one of only two linebackers in the nation to have two interceptions in one game this year. He is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player.
Not bad for the guy who was never supposed to be a linebacker.
"They (former coaches) said I maybe could be a defensive end," Spikes said. "That was my main goal, to try to prove people wrong, that I could play linebacker and be great at it."
And so he has. But more important for UF, he has become a solid leader. The players consider him equally as important as Heisman Trophy quarterback Tim Tebow in the hierarchy of whom they trust, respect and follow.
"He was immature last year because he was young," coach Urban Meyer said. "As a high school player, he was one that never really trained. Coach (Mickey) Marotti (strength coach) and Coach (Charlie) Strong have done a wonderful job with him. The relationship between those three is phenomenal. When you get on the plane to go play an away game, some guys are playing their games or listening to music. Brandon Spikes sets up a laptop with the video from the opponent and watches it the entire time. His maturity level is off the charts."
After the 31-30 loss at home to Ole Miss on Sept. 27, Spikes, 21, joined Tebow in his vow to make UF the hardest-working team in the nation. His leadership, players said, has been essential to the defense's success.
"He's one of the greatest defensive players in the country, in my opinion," linebacker Ryan Stamper said. "The way he plays is the way our defense plays. And you see the defense has been playing pretty good, and that's a reflection of him. The passion he brings to the game is unbelievable. He's stepped up big time."
Spikes said the loss reminded him of something he'd learned long ago, but lost sight of.
"I didn't really emphasize the keys of winning the game, all the smaller things," he said. "I was just taking stuff for granted. After we lost that game, we started coming in and watching film on Monday. While everyone else is at home, the defense started meeting together as a whole unit. And that's a part of the reason we've been playing great on Saturday. I just wanted to be more vocal, telling guys you can't underestimate any team we go against. And I think it started getting through."
At season's end, Spikes is among a handful of Gators who will decide whether to return for their senior seasons. He said he is asked several times a day about whether he'll leave for the NFL, but for now it's not foremost in his mind.
"Every day, somebody is constantly saying it to you. Everybody. Fans, students, so you really can't dodge it. You've got to think about it. But my main focus is this team right now. All I care about is this team."
(Contact Antonya English at english@sptimes.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
Must credit St. Petersburg Times.
