Catching up with Joe Looney
Winston-Salem, NC - Joe Looney earned Second Team All-ACC honors for his success as a left guard for Wake Forest (6-7, 5-3 ACC) last season.
After helping lead the Demon Deacons to an appearance in the Music City Bowl Looney tore a ligament in his foot at a Senior Bowl practice in late January.
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He spoke with Deacons Illustrated following Wake Forest's NFL Pro Day.
So are you trying to look professional for all of these job interviews? "No (laughs), just trying to look a little clean, clean-shaved and cut. My dad and I were talking, and he talked me into cutting my hair. I miss it a lot. It's my mojo, but it's time for a change."
Is it coming back after you make an NFL roster? "I don't know yet. I kind of like the little shave. I can walk around with less weight on my head."
The ladies like that huh? "I hope so (laughs)."
So how's your foot coming along? "It's coming along good. Unfortunately I got hurt down at the Senior Bowl, but it's okay. I'm rehabbing right now. It's kind of going good, and I came out here for Pro Day to support my teammates."
What's the timetable for when Joe will be normal Joe again? "Well, right now my Doctor is saying May, so hopefully I'll be able to go out there and take some heads off."
What teams have you talked with? "I've talked to a couple of teams here and there, but mostly just letting me know about my foot."
Any teams in particular? "No, not that I know of, not yet."
Are you at home right now in Florida? "Yeah, I'm just rehabbing down in Miami five days a week, hitting the rehab hard."
Aren't a few other Deacs down there? "Chris Givens is down there, Kyle Wilber, [and] Josh Bush [too]."
So are you all getting to spend time together at all? "Not too much. I think those guys are pretty much done training right now, so they're going to go home and relax, so I'm going to crank mine back up."
Are you able to come back here often? "No, not too much, but it's great being here today, seeing all of the coaches again, my friends, so it was nice. I'm going to hopefully try and make it to the spring game, so I can see everyone."
What do you think about the young guys on the o-lin? What are some special things about them? "I think all of those guys work hard. They come out every day. They've seen what our o-line did last year and have seen how you have to build that camaraderie with everybody on the line, and mostly just come out and dominate and work hard. I think all of those guys can do that."
Coach Grobe likes their athleticism, and you can attest to that. What are some things that you as a player and a guy who has been around them what do you like about them? "They're just good guys. They're straightforward. They're honest people, and always working hard and have their heads on straight."