This Is... The Swamp | Leaving A Legacy

Intro [Music] [Music] tremendous eff by the Florida defense we're going to talk with linebacker Brandon Spikes and first of all that's a pretty D gone good effort there by the D huh yeah I think so you know we we kind of prepared hard this whole week you know we was looking forward to coming out and taking the challenge we heard they was going to run the ball and we just wanted to get out there and hit him in the map and execute come here to top be us we got to protect this house we work to hard in our season everybody know that 6:00 in the morning we together we together going hard all for one reason let get back to the FC Championship to get back now that's why and I got another question I already know I already know I see you the next I can feel yeah was [Music] H that's our job we a team and our job is to go play defense and get the ball back to y'all the whole game fires it's intercepted spikes [Applause] touchdown [Applause] fight think the whole team was a total team effort man everybody came out did their job like coach ask us to do hey we got to do it again let's just roll man let's roll roll oh [Music] Back with the Gators [Music] the bike ride on the way in to work every morning is great for me mentally because It prepares me for the day and I get to I normally take the scenic route you know it's we got a beautiful campus any chance I can get outside and get me some vitamin D get the sun on me it kind of charged me up for the day and and honestly you know I have a older brother in prison and you know most people take you know take for granted being outside being able to look up at the sky I try to you know enjoy all of that and really you know and really taking the fact that I'm super blessed to be where I am today I have a lot on the plate right now but that's okay you know I got plenty of motivation from my beautiful mom she always stayed on me you know it's been 14 years since I came back so I promise her that I'll complete my degree and I'll be one of the first in the family to do that so I'm super proud about that and my daughter you know always you know instilling her that if we start something we're going to finish it so I had to you know live up to that also cuz I couldn't preach that to her and and not you know finish my degree so I wanted to do that and accomplish that good morning it feels good you know that I'm working towards something every day and contributing here back with the guys you know trying to give them my experience my my mentorship and whatever I can do to help the program get back to the top that's what I want to do and that's what I'm going to do so I'm just fortunate enough to be able to walk back in this beautiful facility and you know and enjoy everything that we kind of you know help build so it feels good to be back [Music] home man it's it's been very challenging you know just just with balancing my businesses life you know I'm a single dad you know and you know with pursuit to academics it's it's tough but I've been able to manage it and balance it you know UF does a great job of making it you know extremely convenient with the online program so it helped me out a lot to be able to jugle different things ultimately I I respect the fact that he wants to be here but he also has a plan you know and there's purpose there he's done a phenomenal job and we're excited about the things that he brings to the table for the [Music] GatorMade future any thoughts feedback there those are the main points that I just wanted to make sure that we touched but wanted to see if there was anything in general before I think it's a testament to who Brandon Spikes is the fact that he came back to school to finish his degree originally started working within the program on the football side saw what all we were doing in Gatorade said I want to do the player engagement piece I want to be that person that's imparting what it means to be a gator that gets to help them personally and professionally and figure out who they are and what this place can truly do for you for him to so freely give his time and his effort and his energy to say I want to be in Gatorade I want to learn from you and your staff I think that says so much about who he is as a person his own humility his recognition of what it means to have the resources that we do and how he can help continue that for the generations to come be able to work with the gator main staff is really fun you know we got a cool team everybody brings you know everybody pulls their weight you know we all got different skill sets but Savannah Bailey she's our team leader and she has a great great blueprint know some of the stuff she brings to the table is just extraordinary and our guys have have no clue how how blessed they are you know I think they'll see it down the road but for now I'm here to let them know like hey take advantage of these opportunities I got p a cool 8.5 delicious uh 12 out of 10 we been to La Miami you know we uh went to Japan and it was just such a surreal moment you know just to share this experience to share these moments with the guys you know I know when I was their age I never could imagine leaving the country there is such a power that comes from I see myself in you or I want to achieve the things that you've achieved I want to learn directly from you so when you have someone as football decorated as spikes as just what it looks like to succeed in any environment that you walk into he's someone that's never met a stranger we've got guys that say like hey I've learned how to network and work a room because of you and just watching you do your thing so to have someone come in and really utilize all of their strengths not just one sliver of it uh and show what it looks like to propel themselves pretty much in any space as a gator for the rest of their lives a lot of times football players they just kind of in this little square box where they won't get outside and try new things see new people learn new cultures and just to see the guys you know take that head on and share new experiences and and try to relate to different cultures and learn different things it it was just phenomenal cuz that's that's when you really grow when you get uncomfortable I wish I had something like this when I was their age I feel like I'll be a lot better off if I had Savannah Bailey or Dr Ali or Diane in the in the office thank you I think one of the greatest compliments we can receive as a program and as a department is of course a thank you from a current guy or a I wish I had this from one of our Alum and so spikes gets to provide that in real time constantly as we go to Japan as he with us to LA to Tampa to Miami all of these spaces he's saying if I were you I would have done so much with this knowledge or so much with this experience so they're learning directly from him but also getting that reinforcement from hey this is really important and could change the rest of your life if you let Fall Camp 2024 it let go Mr McCrae let's get it football position Jrock well reality is I I know spikes um personally right he was in my recruiting area I've been to his High School uh when I worked at Clemson uh that was kind of spikes recruitment so I was well aware of him and certainly kept up with him during his career here and then you know having a relationship with the Patriots uh to see him go U play there and have success uh and then it's been special for me to have him back you know and have him in the building consistently uh just his passion for the place and how it changed him the people people he met the experiences that he had here so part of that Championship pedigree we're trying to connect the past to the Future and I think that's where a guy like spikes is really U it's been critical for our team oh hell yeah Sam more good play Baby the first time I saw be spikes it was like you know finally seeing a legend in person it allows me to you know ask questions you know ask somebody a question that's that's taking those steps that I want to take and have those awards that I want to have one day and it's it's been amazing having be spikes in the room you know just giving me that advice giving me that input and those steps that he took to get to the place yesterday he look like he run hard too like but that's when you run into the ball that's how you get them little tip picks F recover like that oh yeah that one he got him pass he got on pass hey that what I'm talking about 14 aggressive yeah so when you think of a guy like Brandon Spikes right know all his history all his uh the standard that he's upheld here um you know him out on the field in his cleat you know running drills with us uh showing different techniques and it's just like that's what we want to kind of install in our defense and our linebackers uh so just to have the opportunity for him to be around us as a defense as a whole um you know what he brings to the table is just absolutely tremendous speak up T speak up GR this is not a whisper party 93,000 just watching them develop and watching them grow every day is really you know it feels fulfilling for myself you know cuz you know I was a young player I was just trying to figure it out and you know you just don't know you want to be a great player but you don't know what it really takes so I can kind of share the knowledge I feel like I got the blueprint the foundation of being a great player if they just would take my advice and you know not try to take shortcuts I think they can be really good he wears his emotions on his sleeve you know and I think and really when you start talking about this place uh he's played in these games right he's been in that venue uh we call the swamp finish we work too hard let's finish what we came for he's been on the road in this league and then he took that experience and that translated to the National Football League so he's got immediate credibility uh and look I think he's learned some valuable lessons and I think he's been pretty transparent about that and I think ultimately there's a lot of young people in our team that um they benefited from that in a major way let's go make it happen I'm just there to be that heartbeat be that voice to you know set the tone and let them know the standard on the Hop we on a hop we on a hop when you're here at the University of Florida right you think about those numbers on the wall and when you know that goes along with a name like Brandon Spikes who's been there he's been through it he knows what it takes to get to that level he knows what it takes to win uh those Big Time games to make those big time plays um so you know he's on us every day you know he's he's yelling at us he's screaming at us you know he's making sure that he's on our on our bus to be able to push us to the next level right he wants to see us succeed he wants to see us make those big time plays and be leaders uh just like he was so uh just to be able to have him in the building overall um is absolutely tremendous to us you sign up for the show we the show go on I had been playing football since I was four years old so you know some of the stuff that the guys do it brings back that feeling you know you can go right back to that moment you know they say sounds and smells and stuff it take you back but just walking on the practice fields I remember those those Dog Days those Camp days where we was grinding the gator Nation had no clue what we was going through we just wanted to make them proud you know and that's what it means to be a gator got to see Fall Camp 2008 it hurry up hit go go go go off def go uh when I first got here I realized very quickly that you know the athletes that at Florida was different you know what I'm saying guys were big guys was big strong fast you know it was all across the board and I knew right then that I was at the you know the semi level NFL and I had made the best decision cuz that's kind of what I wanted to see if I could play at this level K on finally practicing the day we better get going cuz it's going to be rain man and in the back field and either one of them can pop it at any time Rayman 15 touchdowns this season how many touchdown what you got 15 for this year 15 touchdown 2,000 yard how many yard how many you getting this G but if you get a g and you have 15 touchdowns you going to have more than a g well don't get in right now if you expecting on getting in Black dirty sir right now boy this guy looks the par um he he you know he looks like a ball player this guy looks like he was so ready to play football and you know I was excited that he was on my team team and I have to go against him I realized I loved the game you know back in you know my Maple Valley days you know I was a physical aggressive player at a young age so it was my big brother that really turned me into a beast you know I I always wanted to try to impress him like my big brother is great at everything football school you know what I'm saying he was the the standard so I just wanted to be just like him and he he was not a little guy but you know he he played football also played the linebacker position and he played violent he hit really hard and I I just tried to mimic everything he did I was hitting kids really really hard and their parents didn't like it and I kind of enjoyed it so it kind of stuck with me you know as I Urban Meyer recruits Spikes grew you don't really don't understand recruiting to get to the SEC it's every second of your life and I remember Landing in Gainesville as the head coach coming from Utah and I mean the from the people loading our bags on and off the plane to the pilots to the fans waiting outside the uh the fence there at the Gainesville Airport and it was all you know what about TBO what about recruiting what about this guy and so my IND Doctrine and I loved recruiting but the indoctrination of what actually takes place in the SEC is beyond intense [Music] [Applause] obviously the University of Florida you're in the ballpark with everybody I mean it's a great place you got everything you need to to get the best players in the country and we went about it about as intense as I've ever seen and it became a passion it became a game a winner loser type mentality that once we identify that player it's a game you got to go get him [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] yeah spikes I didn't know much about him you know I knew you know I I was into speed I I just believe speed and toughness you you will never lose and when you look at those teams they're arguably the fastest teams maybe in college football history and I that is including on defense you know we had guys that would fly I remember holiday bringing this old school Mike linebacker to us and Charlie Strong was a linebacker coach and I I got involved but I just listened my concern was you know this does not fit our profile however he does fit our other profile leadership toughness and uh great heart you know they came up to Shelby North Carolina to see me and kind of try to you know persuade me to come down to Florida and I just wanted to go where the best players was going and you know irban kind of told me who he was recruiting who he was going to definitely get during the recruiting process and I I I was thrilled about that it was a lot of great players in there you know they end up coming to Florida and I wanted to be a part of something special because of that Florida Duo TBO and Mr Harvin right here many people think Florida has the number one class heading into this game I just try to let them know that in a few years we going to win the national championship well and I know Gator fans want to know how you two clicked this weekend Tim well we click pretty well he's a great a guy named Tim TBO of course he was really adamant about me coming also cuz he knew like he needed me and I knew I needed him you know we both kind of you know took on those roles as the leaders he was the leader on the offense I was the leader on defense well next year I will be attending University of Flor all right Urban Meyer gets one of the best defensive players in the country we both had a common goal we both was likeminded and that was the win you know we we definitely like winning but we hated losing so we we we had that in common and you know it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life Hard Work well you know my teammates honestly come to mind at first because I know you know we we put so much work into this man we sacrificed so much so many things we wanted to do but we knew we had to focus on the task at hand and that's being being Legends being legendary you know we all talked about being Champions and you know when we first got here it was just one up there so it was a lot of sacrifice a lot of hard work whenever you take over a program especially the way we do it it's a drastic change I mean it's intense it's uh discipline um those who do not work get exposed uh those who do work get celebrated and we were doing something really that they had not been through man the the word we put in when nobody was watching was just I I can't even put into words honestly I don't know how I was able to finish some of these workouts when they said we train like soldiers we did it was special forces special ops [Music] training and to go through that man you you got a decision to make cuz I seen many many players quit and go home and just like you know what football might not be for me I was one of those guys you know contemplating walking away you know that alarm golf at 5:00 in the morning you got a decision to make he wasn't into that you know he he never really trained like that there you you know I I just thought about my family and I thought about my brothers you know that's what got me through a lot of those workouts you know it was extremely hard definitely the hardest thing I ever been through in my entire life he actually told me we used to sit down and talk a lot and I'll never forget one day after practice sitting out on a cooler he had kind of a breakdown with me and he told me he doesn't want to lead he does not want to be in this situation to this day I'm appreciative he told me that cuz most players won't say that they'd fake it and he and we went to work on him you know those things was truly a lesson for me to you know be tough have some perseverance you know when when adversity pres presents itself what how I'm going to respond and I think just going through that back in the day it helped me out tons once he did you saw a good player become one of the best players in Florida football history Florida won the toss they have deferred the options till the second half and that means South Carolina will 2006 Season get the ball and among those who Florida has a huge history here of of of a lot of great teams a lot of good players but it's I go back to tradition man those guys was big on the tradition here they was big on doing things the right way and they was big on representing the University of Florida in the right light second down Brandon Spikes makes this tackle the standard is been Elite you know I'm saying those guys really instilled that in me and that was one another one of the reasons I came out and played hard as I could and and and Tred to make big plays cuz I didn't want to let those guys that came before me down 90,000 Plus on hand most of them roaring now on approv that was the moments that we kind of fed off of when it got hard you know we all just you know embraced each other and and looked forward to that to that [Applause] challenge they hand it off to position the ball at the 35 yd line and I'll never forget I had tears in my eyes cuz I thought a national title hopes was going to go down the drain 90,000 plus holding their breath South Carolina has positioned the ball perfectly you know the game was on the line and all they need is one field goal to win a game it was a chance to still stay in the hunt for the national championship game and just the charvis Moss man he was blown out and I remember coach strong said let's put someone else in he se's gone and I called timeout and I was physically pouring water Gatorade on on Jarvis because obviously physics and science tells you 6'5 6' six guys got a better chance of blocking a field goal than a 62 guy nothing you can do as a coach now as they say the haze in the B never forget driver's mouse was in a huddle reinsuring everybody that he was going to block this field goal he was going to block the field goal and don't worry about nothing is on me and I remember I took my headsets off and I was like I couldn't believe the it was a jet engine right behind my ear [Applause] it is blocked Moss again Jarvis Moss again and for it dreams of a birth in the BCS title game remain alive by a very slim margin we we talk about National Championships we talk about SEC Championship none of this stuff is possible if jvis Moss doesn't if he doesn't do his job and block that field goal we wouldn't be talking about 06 we wouldn't be talking Becoming a Leader about 2008 or any of that if JIS Moss don't get it done you know we had a guy that said he's going to do something and he did it so we knew we could count on him and he kind of set the standard with that there's no doubt that the that set the standard for that 06 you know the 06 recruiting class to become what they became and this is going to do it for the second time in 100 Years of football at the University of Florida the gator celebrate as national champions say you're a national champion every if you don't believe that every young person is going to wake up and doing a 91 a 95 and 20 if you don't believe that you don't understand what just happened you are the Elite of elite your lives will never be the same you're the best you're national champ my first day of class was the national championship day in ' 06 so it was amazing just to have the opportunity to uh get in and learn from these guys that 06 class um had a lot of guys who play football um but you had aach that will come in you know when they need short yardage or get the crowd going or get the offense going you had a Percy Harvin who was becoming you know Percy Harvin you know from a freshman um Brandon James who were running back kickoffs uh so there were major different uh you know a variety of people I can look at to say Hey you know this could possibly be me next year and it just I just know you know when I even joined the team and I thought you made my decision to come to Gainesville I made that decision on based on the guys that was coming with me Tim TBO Percy Harin Brandon James they was a huge influence on my decision cuz I wanted to be a part of something special they were special like when I first met them I I knew that they had that that edge that mentality that I had and I knew I couldn't accomplish Nothing by myself so I was just really thrilled to be a part of something so special and we hadn't done much yet but we all had the same mindset so when we got there the rigns were already handed to me like remember Jarvis Moss didn't come back to school Sil didn't come back to school Dallas Baker was gone Chris leak was gone like we never even got to see those guys around the facility so to me I just saw spikes being Alpha I kind of went out to try to you know prove everybody that I was worthy that I was worthy of the position I was worthy of the spot of being the captain and the leader of the defense playing Mike linebacker univers Florida comes with a great deal of responsibility and that's leading guys that's being a role model that's inspiring that's being you know the heartbeat of the team dra Play Foster comes right met in the middle by Brandon Spikes number 51 spikes who replaces Brandon Siler in that middle spot they expect big things out of him here well 2006 you saw one of the bre groper leaders I've ever seen walk out the door you know Heroes of Florida football it's only a second National Championship especially on defense that defense left the room when the season ended to be as honest as I can the 2007 was awful on defense you know we we and and spikes and crew you know they just weren't ready for that to hand them the keys yet they needed one more year Marino up over the top did he break the plane yes Georgia touchdown and here comes the entire team watch this for excessive celebration I can't believe this this was and we lost three games cuz I wouldn't just give in and just be that team captain be that alpha male that leader it's our job to educate it's our job to coach it's our job to prepare it's your job job to lead and play that's your job and we went in hardcore leadership development in ' 08 spring of ' 08 and uh it really worked out and urban went brand me in his office and be like hey man I need you to lead I need you to be the alpha male that you are I need you to really take on these responsibilities to to lead this team I need you to you know hold these guys accountable challenge them cuz that's in you they all respect you um the growth that he made from then even though he was all SEC player it just it just Amplified maybe 10 times the defending national champion LSU Tigers who lost 2008 Season here two years ago 23-10 to the Florida Gators who then went on to win the nationville championship in 2006 a perfect mid October evening in Gainesville the LSU game from that point forward and spikes had one of the best games of his career from that point forward that team was by far the best team in the country LSU game you know we wanted to you know they had got us the year before so we wanted to come come in and get some Revenge redeem ourselves and I'll never forget you know I I kind of knew what was going to happen just just from film study but I always wanted to be the guy to make the play to change the game and as we resume play second down 8 LSU or Checkmate Urban ma used to have a thing where it's Checkmate that mean the game is done and it's a night game in the swamp the fans were electric that that was a swamp was that was typical swamp right there 50 yd line here's Lee right side intercepted second of the game for Brandon was a surprised that nobody could catch me since they say I'm slow and here goes spikes and he picks that ball off and runs it down the sideline and then the sucker kicks it in the end zone touchdown Florida now get flaged for that one that will not sit well with the coach from Florida and I mean in my heart I'm saying that was pretty cool but you know I have a job to do and urban was pretty he wasn't upset but he tried to act like it cuz he came and whispering to me he's like hey hell of a play but I'm going to get on you right here for the camer he puts his you know spikes the way he handles it he puts his arm around me say I got you I got you go just you know and I just and I just give him a hug back and you know I should don't do it again let's talk a little bit about the much disuss demonstration by Georgia last year does that have a lingering impact you know Vern usually I say no I always go X's and O's and talent but we were here I mean this was significant Georgia called out Florida spikes had this thing where he would when I would drop down in the Box it's just I can hear him and he would called out the plays and which is weird CU like he's the best linebacker in college football and he knows that they're about to run the power a Dive Right Here hand off Marino Cuts back nothing oh another positive sign for Florida when noan ran that ball and spikes hit him first thing in my mind is all right spikes smoked him but but now you got to get off them Ahmad would be the guy to pull him off Brandon and Ahmad became the leaders they are the they were the leaders I think everybody in that Stadium said this one's a wrap every doll have his day that's all I got to say every dollar have his day now he got a whole year under his belt as a starter he got a whole whole year under his belt being the alpha again um and he just I mean he just turned it turned it on branded Spikes have the intangibles leadership all that stuff caught up with the physical gifts finally I think so and and his physical gift he didn't play very good a year ago you know Brandon Spikes was a starting middle linebacker at Florida and really we didn't have much competition at that spot now he's playing like Brandon Spikes that I keep hearing about Brandon Spikes well now I I don't mind saying Brandon Spikes our players love them you know our players we play like 51 plays we just just had a you know obviously a very emotional locker room and and one of the kids said that we play how 51 plays and 51's playing pretty good he did everything that we needed him to do he was everything we needed um and we just fed off at him I wanted it all on my shoulders I love the pressure I love the hype I love you know just the moment you know just season a moment carpet dim like I was one of those guys that lived for the moment and just to be able to you know Thrive and have my guy my teammates kind of believe in me and was like hey you guy you're the leader you're the captain we following Graduation you my teammates man I I I I played for them my entire career it was never really about me I just never wanted to let them down or the coaching staff so you know thank God I was a part of something special and being able to be a part of of Brotherhood that I can you know kind of lean on for the rest of my life this what it's about man this what we trained for this what we trained for this moment look at my eyes man I'm ready I'm ready to die for y'all I'm ready to die for y'all I'm going leave it all out there for y'all my brothers my he's got a heart of gold he's got you know he's an alpha competitor Alpha toughness but the thing that makes Brandon Spikes Brandon Spikes he's got a heart of gold and that means he'll give his shirt off his back he'll do anything for his teammate and we witnessed that no waer witnessing it now a third national championship for the University of Florida however you want to look at a top five players to ever play at Florida and me personally I think Brandon should be in a Ring of Honor he's you know regularly said to me like this place is my home you know they took a country boy from Shelby North Carolina and made him into a gator and H and being a Gator has made me into the man that I am today and to see someone be the living breathing example of that and to truly show love for this place and what that means and have it be something that everyone can feel around him you can't put words to that we talk about it's our journey um and I think he's better because of the things that he experienced here the people that he met the resources that were available and he maximized those opportunities Brandon fight [Applause] we welcome you to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on the campus at the University of Florida it is senior day and a senior class that has won 46 and lost only six and next to be introduced senior co- Captain number 51 Brandon Spikes [Music] this is home for me it always have been home I just feel whole here it's special it's really special [Music] Credits [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]