CEDAR FALLS – One of Northern Iowa head football coach Mark Farley’s favorite phrases is “it takes a village to do what we do here.”

That is what he was thinking last week when news reached the Panther football offices that former UNI offensive tackle Spencer Brown had been invited to participate in the 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.

Brown has been in California training with former NFL all-pro tackle Joe Staley after opting out of UNI’s COVID-delayed spring season to prepare to for the NFL draft.

When Brown arrived in Cedar Falls five years ago, he was a scrawny, 6-foot-8, 235-pound tight end/defensive end prospect.

But the 8-man high school player from Lenox bought into the vision UNI coaches had for him from day one and built himself into an imposing offensive tackle.

After a redshirt season, Brown made his first start for the Panthers at Jack Trice Stadium as a 6-foot-9, 295-pound tackle. When he left for California in August, Brown was 6-foot-9, 322-pounds.

“It is exciting. It is exciting for our program and it is really exciting for Spencer,” Farley said of the Senior Bowl invite. “We pride ourselves in this football program about our ability to develop guys in the weight room, develop them on the football field.

“Spencer … here is a 8-man football guy from Lenox, Iowa, who is now going to be playing in the Senior Bowl with the best players in the country. It was a five-year development. He was all-in from the start on what we could get him to do. He bought in and is an example of the growth of what you come in as and what you leave as if you buy-in.

“It takes a village of people to take a player from 8-man football all the way to the Senior Bowl, but we’ve done it multiple times and I’m proud of our guys.”

FALL PRACTICE: UNI completed practice 10 of 15 Tuesday inside the UNI-Dome and Farley said it was another quality workout as the Panthers continue to give their entire roster as many reps as possible.

Farley said over the next five practices which will conclude Oct. 31, he expects his team to continue to ramp up the intensity and physicality.

“It has to become more physical now,” Farley said. “We are finally moving the way we should move. We’ve got our assignments down, but have to get more physically aggressive and not just know whom we are supposed to defend or where we are supposed to go but to find a way to win one-on-one battles.”

NEWCOMERS SHINE: Farley was not ready to get into detail on the leading candidates to replace players like Brown, defensive end Elerson Smith or defensive back Xavior Williams, three potential all-American players who have opted out because of the coronavirus.

“I can figure that out in January,” Farley said. “What we are working on now is if I have a position, if I have five guys go down to COVID, how do I shuffle the deck and still put a good football team on the field?”

One subject Farley was willing to go into was potential incoming freshmen who may find the field this spring.

He pointed out 6-foot-5, 290-pound offensive lineman Hayden Amos of Carlisle, defensive back Stefen Black II of Blue Springs, Mo., and linebacker/safety Jace Andregg of Solon.

“Those three have shown up at times,” Farley said. “As we have really got going here they’ve went up against quality players and they have held their own and picking up what we are doing. Now we just need to get them more reps so they can get more confidence. But those are probably the three that have jumped out the most.”