UNC WR Josh Downs Interview (11-8-22)

W.D. I'm going to go through this entire conversation without saying that I'm a Blytnikov voter. Even though you just did.

Darn it! Does that count? Josh Downs. He's in the running for that. Might be the best wide receiver in the ACC from North Carolina. He joins us ahead of the Tar Heels matchup in Winston-Salem coming up this weekend.

Josh Downs. After what you guys went through last year with all the expectations attached to you and not meeting them, how rewarding is this season given what you went through a year ago? Honestly, it's just a blessing.

You've got to say that first and foremost. But I'd say it's just a product of hard work and accountability. And guys just going to work this offseason and then just deciding that we weren't going to be six and seven again.

It was more of a mental decision than anything. And then we're just finishing games this year like we were supposed to last year. We didn't finish it like we needed to and that got us in the back end on a lot of games.

And then this year we're just taking that next step and trying to finish those games. This is my favorite stat regarding you guys. You are the only team in college football this year that has five road wins.

One, two, three, four, fifth. Five road wins this year. Last year you guys were 0 and 5 on the road.

How do you best explain the difference in performance on the road? Do you guys feel a different level of comfort away from Keenan that you didn't have a year ago? I feel like we just hit it hard this offseason on winning on the road.

That was a big emphasis. And then everybody's locked in. And we know that fourth quarter is one of the most important parts.

And then on the road, the home team's going to have the most energy because they have the fans there. So we've got to bring our own. We've got to come to play.

So I feel as if just a lot of guys have already have played before and were on that team last year. We felt how that was. So we weren't trying to go through that again. So on the road, we just we just focus more. We lock in more.

We finish hard. Josh Downs is with us here, North Carolina wide receiver on WSJS. Getting ready for Wake Forest coming up this weekend.

Josh, I know you know this. I don't know if the audience knows this, but the last two years against Wake Forest, a hundred and twelve points combined and a hundred and thirteen points combined. When you're a wide receiver, what's the most exhausted you've been after a game? Most exhausted Josh Downs has been. I would honestly probably say last week at Virginia was one of those times I was very tired after the game.

Really? Yeah. And then I'm trying to think of a game last year. Are these games?

What are these Wake games like? Are those just the types of games where you look at it and say, all right, we got to get a breather real quick because we're going to be right back out there considering how quickly the scoring happens. Yeah, last two years has been kind of crazy.

So those weren't surprisingly weren't weren't too tiring to me. I mean, first year I didn't play much. And then last year, I mean, I feel like it wasn't it wasn't that hot outside. So it wasn't too bad. The heat, the heat definitely plays a factor a lot of time.

But yeah, those games are wild. So I'm looking forward to it. Josh Downs with us here. You're from Atlanta. The Carolina Panthers are playing the Falcons this week. Does that mean you're an Atlanta Falcons fan?

Oh, definitely not. I'm a New Orleans Saints fan. Yeah, I'm a Saints fan.

So I'm I don't really cheer for the Falcons too much. So last night, the Tar Heels are opening up in basketball and the New Orleans Saints are playing on Monday Night Football. And you're getting ready for Wake Forest. What was your night like last night? I was watching a little bit of everything earlier in the day. I had watched some Wake Forest. And then I watched I watched a little bit of the Saints game. We struggling this year. Yeah. And I know that in the first year it's me.

So I just got I just got to buy the bullet. But I mean, I like Lamar Jackson too. So I like to see Lamar Jackson succeed. And they played the Ravens. So I mean, it was what it was last night for that game. And then I got to see UNC basketball play.

So that's always good. Here's the beauty of the NFC South. Still a game out of first place.

The New Orleans Saints even after that loss. Josh Downs is with us here. Speaking of basketball. OK, knowing your background a little bit, you were great in the triple jump. I think I have it right that you finished third in states. Is that right? Yeah. Yeah.

Third in states. But I also read this is what I didn't know that you played basketball early on in your high school career. How good were you? I was solid.

I mean, I definitely could not. I could knock down a three. I could play some real good defense and then I could I could lead a little offense.

So I was solid. But I realized that my sport was football and then I was pretty good at track. So I did track for one more year at the basketball. But yeah, I stopped playing basketball in ninth grade.

I realized I was a little short for that. Have you become friends with any of the guys on the basketball team? Yeah, Armando Baycott, RJ Davis, Caleb Love. I really talked to all those guys and chopped it up with them. So they're good people and they're real talented. It's good to just chill with them sometimes, hang out with them.

And I hope they succeed this year. Mr. Baycott hates it when his name's mentioned on the show because for three years he gave us this on Cameo. Every time his name's mentioned on the show, we are obligated to play this piece of sound from Mondo Armando.

Yeah, that's that's him. Every time he joins us, Josh Downs, he's with us. It's Election Day. So in the spirit of Election Day, Josh Downs, I'm going to give you an opportunity to appeal to voters for your guy. And the voters you're appealing to are the Heisman voters. When it comes to your quarterback, Drake May, tell us about your candidate. Why should Drake May be the Heisman winner? I mean, numbers speak for itself.

That's all I can say. And I mean, having Drake out there as your quarterback, it's just a privilege. I mean, he does spectacular things. And I mean, he's one of the best in the nation.

And like I said, his numbers are better than anyone. I mean, and he's really doing it every Saturday. So he's leading us to victory. And I can't say much more about I mean, Drake May, Drake May, turn on the tape to see.

On the way out, our producer WD here, Will, he's a huge Carolina fan. And we've developed the tradition here that on the show, he hasn't seen any of the good movies. Nothing like we learned last week. He hasn't seen Wedding Crashers.

It's embarrassing. So every week we give him new stuff. What did A.T. Perry make you watch a few weeks ago? Top Gun. Yeah, he watched Top Gun for the first time.

It's unbelievable. He hasn't seen any of these movies. Josh Downs, give me a few movies that you love. Like, man, if this movie is on, I'm going to watch it. And odds are WD hasn't seen one of them.

And we're going to make them see it now. Man, honestly, I got to say any of the Marvel movies, I mean, I can honestly watch any of those. That's probably my favorite type of movies. Any of them, any of them I can watch, especially the Avengers.

I mean, the movies are really, they're really interesting to me and I like them. Let's see. Did he watch any shows? Oh, WD loves the show. Yeah, I'm a big show. He's a Game of Thrones guy.

It sounds like you guys would get along just nicely. I think so. You seem like a Thrones guy, Josh Downs. Am I right on that? You're not right, though. I can't cap.

I'm going to watch it, though. Come on. That's fantastic.

All right. So you're a nerd, Josh Downs. See, you look so cool when I see you wearing all the fresh white bow tie and the shoes and stuff. But at his core, Josh Downs is a nerd.

Is that right? Man, I wouldn't say I'm a nerd, but I mean. Marvel superheroes. Don't tell me you got like a sketch pad or something, right? You're not like sketching sketching Iron Man, are you? Man, no, but I did used to have a little Marvel poster in my room, but when I moved, I forgot it. Oh, that's that's a real shame. Well, hopefully you're able to get that thing back or maybe not. Athletes can be very superstitious. Maybe the fact you don't have it is why you guys are winning. I don't know.

I'm not that superstitious, but some people are. Josh Downs, thank you so much for making the time. We'll see you Saturday down in Winston Salem. Thanks for doing this. Yes, sir. Appreciate you.