Brandon James’ Florida Gator Football Career Comes to an End

Return man

Brandon James

has played his last game in a

Florida

uniform.  James had surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot suffered during the SEC Championship Game against

Alabama

.  Although the surgery repaired the problem, he will not be ready in time to join the Gators on the field in the Sugar Bowl against

Cincinnati

.

James ends his Gator career as the SEC’s all-time leader in return yards (4,089).  Although James punt return average hit a career-low 5.5 in 2009, he was nearly as dangerous because of what opposing teams had to prepare for when kicking to him.  He wasn’t able to return a punt for a touchdown for the first time in his career in 2009, but did take score his first kickoff return touchdown.

James was one of those players that never got as much credit as he deserved.  Due to limited opportunities on offense until his final season, James may have been an afterthought to many fans.  A number will remember him lined up a wide receiver, which isn’t the way you want to recall his career.  Florida has plenty of explosive athletes that may be able to take James’ spot return kicks, but few will ever have as much of an impact as he did.  You rarely ever have one position locked up for four straight years, but that’s exactly what James brought to the return game.