CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Early in fall camp during the 2019 football season, with the sun glaring high on the UNI practice field and the humidity rising to excruciating levels, Spencer Brown and Elerson Smith were jawing.
Brown, the 6-9 right tackle against Smith, the 6-7 defensive end. The trash talk arose after pass protection drills late in the practice. The two were in each other's faces, Smith being one of the few players that can even approach Brown near eye level. Smith accused Brown of holding while Brown refused to back down.