The Pacific Club IMPACT* Foundation has announced University of Florida senior linebacker Brandon Spikes (Shelby, N.C.) as one of the 20 quarterfinalists for the annual Lott Trophy. Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its sixth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT* Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Also a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, Spikes ranks second on the UF defense in total tackles (32) and recorded his first-career multi-sack performance, tallying three in the 13-3 road win over LSU Oct. 10, while collecting a season-high 11 tackles against the Tigers. Spikes’ three sacks were the most by a Gator since Derrick Harvey tallied as many versus Ohio State in the 2006 Tostitos BCS National Championship Game.
Spikes, additionally a candidate for the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Awards, is currently leading a 2009 Florida defense that ranks No. 1 in the SEC in scoring defense (8.7/game), pass defense (133.3/game) and opponent first downs (12.5/game).
