Why was Brandon Spikes suspended for only one half against Vanderbilt? Because Urban Meyer is scared of the Commodores

So you've got a linebacker who tries to poke out an opposing player's eye. So you suspend him for the next game, right?

Sure. But what if he's the best defensive player on your team and you've already tried to play Arkansas without him — and how'd that work out for you?

Hmmm. How good an opponent do you play next? If it's somebody you can dominate, then you go ahead and bench him for the whole game. But if you're playing a tough team, a crafty team with brilliant offensive strategists who'll exploit your weakness, then what do you do?

You bench him for the first half of the game, which makes you appear to condemn maiming, and you hope your team can hang on until he takes the field in the second half.

So Coach Urban Meyer is benching Brandon Spikes for the first half of Saturday's Vanderbilt game in the Swamp.