Spikes returns with "no regrets''

Three months ago Brandon Spikes turned down potentially millions of dollars to return to Florida for his senior season.

On Wednesday, he took the field with his Gator teammates for the first time since the Jan. 8 national championship game, and aftewards said he's never been happier and doesn't regret for one moment his decision not to leave early for the NFL.

"Not at all,'' Spikes responded when asked if he had any second thoughts. "I'm here, I'm happy. And I'm just ready to try to get my degree.''

NFL draft expert Mel Kiper has said Spikes was the biggest surprise among the numerous possible high draft picks who decided to return to school, saying Spikes was a definite No. 1 pick. But Spikes said his decision was based on what he and his family believed was best for him - and following his heart and gut instinct. 

'I just sat down with the people I love, the coaching staff, my family and friends and we just went from there,'' he said. "We weighed the pros and cons and I just felt like coming back to school would benefit me more as far as getting my education and getting better as a player.''

And was the decision to stay or go very close?

"Oh yeah,'' Spikes said, chuckling. "You know a kid, 20 or 21 years old, has a chance to make it to the big leagues and he didn't take it. You think about getting hurt or what else could you accomplish? But I was just thinkiing about my family mostly. We sat down and I felt like I could  benefit more from coming back.''

Spikes said he and the rest of the Gators are driven by the chance to win three national championships in four years. The word is, Spikes has been the main guy riding players in workouts and drills, saying he won't have anyone loafing around when the Gators are on a championship mission.

"It's definitely a dream,'' he said. "You feel like (you've gotten) two out of four already. And all our guys were coming back, we weren't losing anybody. I'm real close with the guys on defense. And then guys like Tim Tebow coming back for their senior year, that kind of helped me with my decision. Absolutely, that's the drive for us right now.''