If Spikes becomes national defensive player of the year, does he make it on our wall of fame?
-John Vega Sent from my iPhone On Jan 15, 2009, at 4:07 PM, Jerry Belloit <[email protected]> wrote: > Compliments of Ray at Gatorcountry.com! > > <image001. > png> > <image002. > png> > <image003.png><image004.png><image005.png><image006.png><image007.png> > > Gator Country Staff | January 15, 2009 | 0 Comments > > <image008.jpg> > > All-American middle linebacker Brandon Spikes announced he will > return for his senior season at the University of Florida while All- > American wide receiver Percy Harvin has declared for the National > Football League Draft. > > “I’m excited to hear that Brandon is coming back,” said head > coach Urban Meyer. “At the end of the day, I want our players to mak > e educated decisions about their future. Brandon has obviously done > that. He was the heart and soul of our defense this year. He was the > quarterback of our defense and set the tone in many of our victorie > s.” > > “It was a tough decision for me and my family,” said Spikes. “I > just felt like it was the right choice to come back. I love the coac > hing staff and my teammates and I look forward to playing another ye > ar in front of the best fans in America.” > > Spikes was an integral part of the national champion Gators’ defense > and led the team with 93 tackles, to go with four interceptions and > eight tackles for loss, including two sacks. All four of his interc > eptions came against top-25 opponents, which tied for first among al > l players nationally and was the most by any linebacker in the count > ry. A finalist for the Nagurski Award, Spikes was one of five lineba > ckers in the nation to have two interceptions returned for touchdown > s last season. He has led the Gators in tackles in 10 of the last 17 > games, recording 10-or-more tackles in five of his last 14 outings. > Spikes was named an All-American by the American Football Coaches A > ssociation (AFCA), the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA > ), Rivals.com, The Sporting News and Walter Camp and was a first-tea > m All-SEC recipient. > > Harvin, who averaged 108.7 all-purpose yards per game for the Gators > and scored a team-high 17 touchdowns in 2008 (10 rushing and seven > receiving), said, “I will have a lot of great memories from my time > at Florida, but the championships we won in 2006 and 2008 will be at > the top of my list. When it is all said and done, I wanted to win. > I wanted to be a part of championship teams. We did that at Florida > and I had a great group of coaches, teammates and medical and streng > th staff that helped make that happen. I will always be a Gator and > look forward to watching them play next year on Saturdays.” > > Harvin scored a touchdown in each of the last 15 games he played, > the longest streak in the nation. In Florida’s national championship > season in 2008, Harvin rushed for 660 yards on just 70 carries, ave > raging 9.4 yards per rush, best per carry average in the country. He > also led the Gators with 40 catches for 644 yards (16.1 per catch). > > “Percy is the most dynamic player I’ve ever coached and can > change the game on any given play,” said Meyer. “He has the best > first step I’ve ever seen and his ability to plant his foot and go i > s unmatched. Percy is a relentless competitor who wants to win. We w > ish him the best of luck and we look forward to having him around ou > r program. He will always be a part of our Gator football family.” > > In the 2009 FedEx BCS National Championship Game victory over > Oklahoma, Harvin tallied 171 all-purpose yards, highlighted by a > team-high 122 yards rushing on nine carries and also caught five > passes for 49 yards. His two-yard run late in the third quarter gave > UF a 14-7 lead. He had a 52-yard carry on the drive that produced > the game-winning field goal. Harvin collected All-America > recognition from the American Football Coaches Association and > Walter Camp and was a > first-team All-SEC pick at wide receiver. > > Harvin finishes his career as one of the most prolific offensive > threats in school history. He totaled 133 catches for 1,929 yards > and 13 touchdowns, while rushing the ball 194 times for 1,852 yards > with 19 touchdowns. His 32 career touchdowns is the most ever by a > UF wide receiver. He averaged an astounding 9.5 yards per carry and > averaged 11.6 yards ever time he touched the ball. He is the only > player in UF history to rush for 100 yards and have 100 yards > receiving in the same game (Vanderbilt, 2007). Harvin was the MVP of > the 2006 Southeastern Conference Championship Game as a true freshman. > > > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
