Drake Maye addresses Heisman Trophy talk surrounding him

North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye has entered the Heisman Trophy conversation as he’s put together one of the most impressive freshman seasons in recent college football history. Maye has led the Tar Heels to a 9-1 record and a No. 13 ranking in the recent CFP poll and was asked through the busyness of the season and taken a moment to appreciate his Heisman hype.

“I really haven’t sat down and really thought about it like that, we’ve still got a few weeks left, but obviously hearing my name in some of those conversations is a blessing, it’s a dream. I really haven’t sat down, I think I need to do more of that throughout the season, especially after a win,” Maye said.

Maye’s main focus being on the next opponent has certainly helped the Tar Heels this season, but as it gets close to its conclusion, he may be more open to smelling the flowers and taking in the high points a little bit more.

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“I think after that one at Wake in the locker room when everybody was jumping around, I jumped around a little bit but then I really sat down and kind of just thought about the game and overlooked the win,” Maye explained. “I think I need to do that more, I think that’s a good point, just to try to realize what we’ve got going and enjoy the moment.”

Maye was asked when he first remembers hearing about his Heisman trophy buzz, which was circulating early on North Carolina’s campus, but a lot more following their back-and-forth battle against Virginia where he posted three all-purpose touchdowns.

“No I couldn’t exactly remember, obviously some of the students walking to class and stuff, but seriously other than that maybe running off the field Virginia was the first time I feel a lot of people started saying it,” Maye said. “It was a pretty cool moment knowing Tar Heel nation supported me and the way they’ve come to away games. I feel like that whole side at the Wake game especially was Carolina blue, so just embracing it and at the same time realize that stuff comes with winning games, so just trying to do my part.”

It’s safe to say that Maye comes from an athletic family, with his father playing quarterback for UNC in the 80s and a crew of collegiate athlete brothers. Maye was asked if he and his family have discussed his Heisman campaign at all and if he’s went to them for any advice on handling the moment.

“Particularly with my family we haven’t mentioned it much, I think most of my family. I had some cousins in from California at that Wake game so we kind of briefly talked about it while Jermey had me on ESPN radio after the game, so they kind of heard some of the conversation they were talking to me about it,” Maye said.

Maye may predominantly have those conversations with North Carolina Assistant A.D. Jeremy Sharpe, but is open to speaking more to his experienced family for guidance in the future.

“But it’s really not been kind of the elephant in the room where we’ve just been rolling on with the season and just trying to play one week at a time and see how things unfold,” Maye said. “But mainly just been talking about it with Jeremy, but other than that not that I really need it but I think that’s a good point, kind of get some pointers, but maybe something I should look into.”

His approach has definitely been working, as the freshman nears 3,000 all-purpose yards on the season racking up 3,412 yards in the air and 584 on the ground in ten games. His 34 touchdown passes tie for the national lead, as he spoke on what it would mean to him to get an invite to New York in December for one of the most prestigious awards in college football.

“No doubt I think it’d mean the world to me, especially going to up there with three other tremendous players. A lot of players this season have played very well, but just getting an invite I think that is pretty special. You’re growing up watching all those guys, seeing different quarterbacks and people are kind of arguing that it’s becoming kind of the quarterback award,” Maye said. “But you’ve seen some running backs and stuff like that this year starting in the talk, so I think it’s one of the best awards in college football and one of the best awards in college sports so just getting the opportunity to go would be pretty cool.”