Bob Donnan/USA Today Sports
Antoine Green has emerged into college football's top deep ball threat
Despite missing the season's first three games, wide receiver Antoine Green has developed into one of North Carolina's most dynamic receivers.
Green has hauled in 13 passes for 384 yards and four touchdowns. He sits second on the roster in both receiving yards and touchdowns in just four games.
The senior wideout is one score away from tying his career-high and over halfway to 621 receiving yards, his most in a season in a Tar Heel uniform.
Perhaps the most impressive part to his start to 2022 isn't a stat of his own he's trying to break, but one he leads at the Power Five level.
With 29.5 yards per catch, Green ranks first among all qualified receivers in a Power Five conference.
For Green, who enters his fifth season in Chapel Hill, his success can be attributed to opportunity and the fortune of being healthy.
Of course Green missed the first quarter of the season due to a collarbone injury, but when has has been available over the last two seasons, he has produced.
He missed time in 2019 and suffered a season-ending injury in the Tar Heels' sixth game in 2018, prohibiting him from cracking the rotation at receiver.
As evidenced by last season however, he is an impactful player on the North Carolina offense. Green finished second on the roster in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, helping set up for a dominant final season in a Carolina uniform.
With the likes of Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome moving on to the NFL in 2020, Green's chances to make an impact have grown and he has taken advantage of it.
Now, as a part of one of college football's most dynamic offenses, Green is a big reason that North Carolina is sitting at 6-1 and undefeated in ACC play.
Although it may not have been close to 30 yards on the reception, his 8-yard touchdown catch on Saturday helped lift the Tar Heels over Duke and keep the Victory Bell in Chapel Hill for the fourth consecutive season.
A pivotal match-up awaits for North Carolina after the bye week when Pittsburgh visits Kenan Stadium on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.
