Spikes vs Siler and others

I personally think Siler was a better pure run stopper, but spikes was better at alot of other things.

 

I am a little partial to spikes because of the hit he put on Knowsho. That sealed the game early.

 

Plus, there's the whole Predator thing

 

Spike's Mamma made him this pink suit.

He wore it coming off the plane in Glendale. I believe that was his redshirt year and he didn't play but we all noticed him. He wore it again in Miami for the Oklahoma game. Wore it with the Patriots before the Super Bowl too.

Pink suit FTW.





Alex.

 

Being as how I was a senior in 2006, I have a special place in my heart for Brandon Siler. But, I love the 2008 squad simply because of how awesome they were Across-the-board. They kIcked the crap out of everyone after the Ole Miss game.

I don’t think you could go wrong with either as an initial pick for your starting middlr linebacker, but I would go with spikes if I was the captain.

 

Can we pick any former Gator LB? I would take Wilber Marshall if that is the case... ;-)

Spikes had the attitude of a MLB, but he wasn't fast enough to truly be elite which is why he hasn't done great in the NFL.

 

He wasn't the most physically talented but in 1992 (Spurrier's worst team), Carleton Miles was the heart and soul of the defense and held it together for a very young, inexperienced group. Dude had no quit in him. Iron will. He later got on the wrong side of the law and his name rarely comes up when you talk about great Gator MLBs but he should be on the list.


Alex.

 

This! This! This! A hundred times this!

 

I’m not good at evaluating talent, so take it fwiw... if you took Siler’s brain and work ethic and put it in Spikes’ body, you’d ALMOST have Marshall 2.0, but we’re dang lucky to have those three names associated with Gator FB.

 

Jack Card #1, 'cause that's all that could fit on his uniformed back..

 

He coached football at my HS in 72. I didnt play that year. He wasnt much of a coach.

 

I realize Muschamp coached during his starting years but Jon Bostic was an amazing LB both 2011 & 2012......and his sidekick Jelani Jenkins in those same years was maybe the best sideline to sideline LB I've seen in many years, pass coverage, run stopping blitzing, he flat out did everything well.......Siler and Spikes were better leaders but I wouldn't put them as any better players at the LB position than the other 2.

 

Spikes is a mean dude. Saw him knock out two quarterbacks, clean, in high school.

Don't forget Huey Richardson and James Bates in the LB discourse.

 

If the discussion is between Siler and Spikes only as college LB's this is easy. Spikes was a much better all around LB than Siler. Take nothing away from Siler, but he was drafted in the 7th round for one very good reason. Siler was terrible in space, especially in pass coverage and especially in zone coverage. He was always unaware of what was going on in his zone and it was the large knock on him in draft reports. he was an excellent in the box LB behind a tremendous d-Line, which he proved to be his junior year. It is also why he left early, even tho he knew he would be a late rounder or an undrafted FA b/c the D-line returning in 2007 was going to be awful, which they were. With that said, Siler had a nice long NFL career, b/c he was smart and knew his assignments, but just could not cover the pass.

Spikes was slow afoot in a straight line, but he was excellent at diagnosing plays in both the run and the pass. He often times was in the throwing lanes on pass plays and even had some real INT's (not deflected to him) during his college career. I once asked a player on the defense with Spikes what made him so good at those things b/c he was slow afoot, and his answer was simply "film study". Said Spikes watched a ton of tape and knew how to watch it and break it down. His NFL career has not bee the greatest, but he was an excellent MLB in college.

 

I liked Siler a lot and think our 2007 defense could've been much improved with him

 

Spikes and Siler, were great college LBs , and even better leaders. Our defense/team lack both now

 

Interesting as I think the opposite. Siler was an athletic specimen, Spikes had the instincts and mean streak. Put Spike’s instincts and meanness into Siler, and you have Robobacker.
I guess either way would work out.

 

You’re probably onto something. I recall Siler was a bit smaller than Spikes, although probably a little faster. They both were pretty tough though.

 

I'll say! When it came to eye gouging, Spikes was second to no one!