Billy Napier shares Brandon Spikes' role with Florida

Florida just added a hall-of-famer to the team. However, the new addition isn’t a player but a coach. On Thursday, head coach Billy Napier broke down the addition of former Gators star Brandon Spikes to the staff.

“I’ve been very impressed with Brandon,” Napier said of Spikes. “It’s been pretty recent. I think going back to June, Brandon came into town. He’s coming back to get his degree, and he wanted to have a role.

“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 cares about the place, and I think he’s really brought something. There’s a presence there,” Napier said.

Spikes certainly brings a resumé. The former Florida linebacker played under Urban Meyer from 2006-09. While there, Spikes was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection and 2-time Consensus All-American. He was inducted to the UF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020.

The North Carolina native recorded 31.5 tackles for loss in his collegiate career, including 6.5 sacks. Spikes wasn’t only a nightmare for quarterbacks with the ball in their hands. He also collected four “Pick-6s” from 2008-09, the most in the nation and a program record for interception touchdowns in a career.

Unsurprisingly, Spikes also had a successful professional career. The New England Patriots selected Spikes No. 62 overall in the second round of the 2010 draft. Spikes appeared in 78 NFL games, recording 212 solo career tackles, two sacks and five forced fumbles.

No longer playing on the gridiron, Spikes seemingly still wants to keep football in his life. Yet, Napier claims that isn’t Spikes’ motivating factor.

“He wanted to contribute to this place. 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 and a student. The way that helped kind of his path in life, and he’s had legitimate success at the professional level,” Napier said. “He brings credibility, pedigree [and] production.”

Production is the keyword. As a student assistant, Spikes has already shown his value to Napier.

“He’s done a good job of mentoring players. He’s already connected with a number of guys. I think Spikes can make our team better, so it’s always good to get a guy who [is] doing the right thing, coming back to get his degree, that has experience, and that could influence our young people in a positive way,” Napier said.

After a disappointing 6-7 record last fall, Florida needs all the positivity it can muster. Napier will begin his second year leading the Gators with Spikes by his side on Aug. 31 against Utah.