CHARLOTTE – The ACC held its annual media day at The Westin Hotel, and Thursday was for the Coastal Division, which means North Carolina was here for its interviews.

UNC Coach Mack Brown and players British Brooks, Cedric Gray, and Josh Downs represented the Tar Heels. THI was on hand for the day's activities and spent some time with Downs, a preseason All-America who set UNC single-season records last season for receptions (101) and receiving yards (1,335).

Below are a video of Downs’ Q&A session as well as some notes and pulled quotes from what he had to say:

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*Although UNC’s season didn’t go the way the program planned last fall, which include close losses to NC State (10 wins) and Pittsburgh (ACC champions), those performances tells Downs the Tar Heels are close to being in contention for the league title, too.

"At the end of the day, we were right there with them," Downs said. "We truly know we should have won both of those games. We just have to finish."

*Leadership is a characteristic that the 2021 edition of the Tar Heels lacked. Brown, however, has spoken on the improvements in that area as one of the reasons he’s more optimistic with this team as opposed to this time a year ago. Downs agrees emphatically.

"We have about 15 guys on the team that our peers chose us to lead this team,” Downs said. “We've come together very strong. We've had a lot of meetings on off days and just finding different ways to lead this team."

*In college football, previously unknown players make their names on a national stage every year. Downs sees a few candidates in Carolina blue could fit into that column by season’s end. Look to the quarterback room to find one of UNC’s breakout players, he says.

"I didn't see Jacolby (Criswell) or Drake (Maye) in the preseason rankings for the top ten quarterbacks in the ACC, and I know they are,” he said. “They just haven't gotten that opportunity."

*Standing 5-foot-10 and weighing 175 pounds, Downs is not a tiny guy in everyday society. On a college football field, however, the Georgia native is surrounded by people much larger than himself, and over time, the size disadvantage has led to him developing a chip on his shoulder.

"Myself, I've always been a smaller guy," he said. "I've always had to prove myself each and every day. Every time I join a new team, I know I have to prove myself."