Urban Meyer suspends Florida LB Brandon Spikes for first half of Vandy game

Florida coach Urban Meyer has suspended senior LB Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday's game against Vanderbilt for his involvement in a tackle on Georgia's Washaun Ealey in which Spikes is pulling on Ealey's facemask with his fingers inside his helmet after the play is over.

"I don't condone that and I understand what goes on on the football [field], but there's no place for that,'' Meyer said. "We're going to suspend Brandon for the first half of the Vanderbilt game. I spoke with him. That's not who he is. That's not who we are. He got caught up in emotion. I love Brandon Spikes. Our team does. We're going to move on. He has our full support.''

Meyer said he spoike with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive Monday morning. Asked if Spikes was retaliating against Georgia for an earlier play, Meyer said "yeah.''

"The Southeastern Conference has reviewed and accepted the disciplinary actions taken by the University of Florida regarding football student-athlete Brandon Spikes,'' the SEC said in a statement. "

Florida is off on Monday and Spikes was not available for comment, but issued a statement expressing regret for the incident.

"I accept responsibility for my actions and I accept the consequences of my actions,'' he said. "I would like to apolotize to my team and the coaching staff and Washaun Ealey. Football is a very physical and emotional game, but there is no excuse for my actions.''

Spikes became embroiled in the national controversy after a clip was released on YouTube with CBS video that shows him with his fingers inside Ealey's helmet as the two are in a pile following a tackle.

Earlier in the game, Spikes had his helmet ripped off during a play. There were five personal fouls called in the game, four in the first half. Georgia was called for three, Florida had two. At one point in the second quarter, officials gathered Florida QB Tim Tebow and Georgia LB Marcus Dowtin and warned them about things getting out of hand.

Tebow said while he doesn't condone Spikes' behavior, Saturday's game was emotionally-charged and things were happening on both sides. 

"I don't think that we did anything in that game that they didn't do,'' Tebow said. "If you go back and look at it and study it, you can see it in the film, too, It was an intense game, both teams were very passionate about it.''

The YouTube video is here.

Comments

[mike]

Tebow is a moron. Shoving your fingers into someones eye sockets isn't passion Timmy boy. Good answer - they did it so we did it back - very professional. Can't wait for you to get your bell rung by the pros.

[D]

Wow, he gets suspended for an entire half of a game against a cupcake opponent for trying to gouge they eyes of another player, potentially blinding him. Nice. Way to go Urban, way to show how you demand sportsmanship and accountability. Trying to justify the slap on the wrist because Georgia was also committing personal fouls says a lot.

[Jesse]

Teblow is an idiot this type off action is not acceptable. The Gaytors are a joke, they never penalize their players yet they say that about every other team. Where are all the Gator heads that say they run a clean program?????????

[Matt]

I love the reaction by the sports world and fans. This is one of the most commonplace things in football, ask anyone who has ever played from high school to pro. I'm not saying it isn't dirty..it's as dirty as the things Georgia were doing ALL game long. Grow up people this is football..if you don't like it don't watch it.

[Pat]

The Florida /Georgia game has always been intense. There was a lot of stuff going on by Georgia that I saw....I watched the game twice by the way.....that was not called by the refs. Was Brandon wrong? yes. Does the punishment fit the crime? probably. At any rate is it better than telling him he doesn't get to start the game and then he goes in on the second play...shades of Bobby B. And yes I am a Gator fan.

[But..but..but..]

Lets see.. There was no injury, he continued to play the rest of the game with no patch over his eye. We have no definite proof of what happened. ( i have watched the video over and over). This is another example of the media wanting the Gators to fail and will knit pick any way they can until that happens. Remember media and haters...There is always But.. But... But..
But there is no way the Gators can hang with Ohio State.
But there is no way they will ever beat Oklahoma
But the spread offense will not work in the SEC
But LSU has won 31 night games at home
But UF has a weak schedule (currently 8th toughest in the country)
But UF has never beaten MSU in Starkville.
But Tebow has a concussion all of a sudden media from around the country are doctors.
but..but..but.....

It never ends when you are on top. Remember, UF is in #1 in the country and are 8-0 in the toughest conference in America. Haters can keep on hatin!! Just remember what your records are!!

[Tony]

Just another example of Urban Meyer wanting a championship more than building his team's sportsmanship and class. The punishment in no way fits the crime and it's a disgrace to football. I'm pretty sure Demps could shoot someone and get a 1 game suspension max. Stay Classy UF!

[GatorSphere]

Mike, Tebow is hardly a moron. You know damn good and well he's what you wish your kid would be.

It's just awesome when all the haters come out and start blogging away about UF. The next game on the schedule is Vandy, what would you propose, wait until the Florida State game to suspend Spikes? Wait a week and do it for the S. Carolina game?

No matter what the Gators do you people complain. They beat teams by 50 and you say they run it up. They win by four and you say they're overrated. A player does an eye-gouge and you're all offended. But giving a late hit to Tebow is totally fine?

Listen haters, we have what you want and your team isn't good enough to take it. Blog away all you want, it won't change the facts, it won't change the score.

Go Gators!

[Go Gators]

Could someone tell what they are using to see through helmets these days? I have looked and cannot even come close to seeing his eyes so I am confused? Could it be that assumtions are being made?? I think so.. But.. But.. You are exactly right. Another example of the media TRYING TO bring us down.. Again, please share what you are using to see through the Bulldog helmet. Can I buy it at Sam's Club??

[Jesse]

The Gators just never do anything wrong, I can't believe you guys can defend this. 4 games left and Teblow is gone and the gaytors suck again.

[Tommy]

Hey Gator heads, Urban talked with him and said it was retaliation for someone popping Spikes earlier. Do you still want to say he didn't do it. You guys are too much. The Gators have thugs and dirty players and will go to any lengths to win.

[D]

Wow, now it's the media out to bring down the Gators. Just wow. Sure, that's what this is about. Not a dirty, pathetically unsportsman-like action by a Gator. It's the media and "haters" out to get the poor Gators. Amazing lack of class and sense of responsibility with this team and a large portion of the fans.

[Go Gators]

D- did the media show any of the late hits, face mask's etc that took place in this game? No, because they have no reason to want to bring UGA down. Do you think in last years Nat Champ game that there was any mention of Oklahoma intentionally twisting Percy Harvin's foot? Never saw one video of that. Explain that D?? Also, how do you know for sure this happened? Where did you get your info?? Maybe the media? You cannot tell one thing from the video as you cannot see his eyes. If his eyes were What would you do if your eyes where "gouged out"? Would you line up and play the next down? Come on!!

[The Truth]

When you look at the game film, be sure to look at THE WHOLE game film. Georgia was playing dirty from the opening whistle. Spikes was standing up for his team. Hey, when a MLB baseball pitcher hits an opposing batter with a 90 m.p.h. fastball, everybody slaps him on the back for standing up for his team. What Brandon Spikes did was no different. Georgia started it so Spikes took the fight back to them. I'm proud of him, everyone else be darned!

[Go Gators]

The Truth- I never though about the baseball analogy.. Good point. Again, it is just the haters and the media and jealousy taking over.. No worries, we are 8-0 and although they will deny it everyone wants to be like us! Go Gators!

[PS]

Boo-hoo, now the media is picking on the Gators!

He tried to gouge someone's eyes out! (and the media has the nerve to show the video evidence)

You can tell that GatorSphere and GoGators never actually played football. You don't get back at a cheap shot with more cheap shots, you do it by winning and playing HARD but CLEAN.

If this happened at most schools, he would be off the team. Was the sucker punch by the Oregon player against Boise worse than this? I don't think so, and he got booted off the team.

And, with UF favored by what 40? 50? against Vandy, there's actually no penalty because he would've only played a half, plus a series or two in the 3rd Qtr anyway.

[GatorSphere]

PS, you can't tell from one word I have written whether or not I played football. But we can tell from your name what three letters are missing, and in this order: U, S, and Y.

Good day, ma'am.

[paul In PC]

I recall a bulldog cracking Tebow about 10 seconds after he threw the ball. Flatened him, no flag, no suspension. It's football, it happens in every rivalry, both ways. You cheerleaders who think you are football fans because you bought a college t-shirt the other day need to learn the game or shut the F up. You all tune in every Saturday to see the Gators lose and they keep letting you down, so you d-bags make up 'Stay Classy' crap. LOSERS!

[Gatorfan!]

Tony,

If Demps shot YOU there wouldn't be any suspension at all.

Just ridding the world of one more moron!!!!

[Go Gators]

PS, I have yet to see video of him gouging out someone eyes. I have seen video of a hand in his helmet but I see that alot. So I am still unsure how you know what EXACTLY what happened. Where are you getting your info? I am guessing from the media.. By the way, I am and assistant high school football coach in Hills Cty. A former college player as well. Trust me this happens all the time (high school included) and is a part of the game!

[Teblow]

So according to the Gator heads Spikes should get an award for trying to poke the guys eyes out. The funny part is the Gaytors are the first ones to say that other teams have dirty players but when its their own their proud of it. It just shows the character of the Gaytors.

[Urban]

Only team out there that doesn't discipline their players. Urban will do anything to win, Florida has a dirty program and it will come out. I can't wait to see the gaytors after Tebow, they will suck......

[Gator Paul]

Eye gouging? Maybe, maybe not. It's just that I don't have x-ray eyes, unlike all the Gator haters.

Again, Gators, don't let the ankle biters get you down.

When you keep winning in the toughest conference in college football, then all the haters can't help but attack you.

[John]

Hey Pat, how about-
Gaffney stole wallets from High School kids and played.
One guy takes a car and plays against LSU.
Sound familiar, it's the Gators that don't discipline.

[The Truth]

Gator Paul, Gatorsphere, PC, and some of you others: you guys are my heroes. It's about time some Gators with some guts AND some brains showed up and started standing up for the cause. As for you whinebag/losers, dig this: I have NEVER gone to any of your loser teams' websites to spew venom. Think about how big of a loser you have to be, and how zero of a life to have to have, to spend your time doing something like that. The pups from UGA got spanked, AGAIN. They're clownish Halloween costumes didn't help them one bit. And they played dirty for 60 minutes. They're the classic punks that if they can't beat you on the field, then they try to beat you up, but in this case they couldn't do either. The only team I've ever seen play dirtier is FSU, who are famous for their late hits. So cry, cry, cry, and keep your fingers crossed that Brantley isn't as good as they say he is so that you won't have to keep enduring these Gator boots up your backsides after Tebow leaves. Cry babies.