The UNC football program has been playing shorthanded on offense for most of the season without wideouts Josh Downs and [autotag]Antoine Green[/autotag], the top two wide receivers coming into the year.
Downs has played in just one game before injuring his knee, while Green has been out for the first four weeks after suffering an upper body injury in a fall scrimmage.
This week, however, both players are being ‘evaluated this week and a decision on their availability for Saturday will be made closer to the game time’, according to InsideCarolina.com.
“You always have concerns when guys come back,” UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo said on Monday. “Are they healthy enough to play and once they are, are they in shape because they have been out awhile? Are they in sync football-wise, from a timing standpoint because Drake (Maye) hasn’t been throwing to them. They are practicing, we’ll evaluate them and see where it goes for the end of the week.”
While Downs is ‘on track’ to play against Notre Dame, Green will likely be closer to a game-time decision.
Before North Carolina’s bye week this past weekend, UNC head coach Mack Brown said he was ‘really excited’ about the possibility of having Green back for this week’s matchup with Notre Dame.
Green’s originally diagnoses was going to keep him out 6-10 weeks, with the six week mark being the Notre Dame game.
Green is coming off a 2021 season in which he finished with 31 receptions for 612 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was expected to be the Tar Heels No. 2 receiver alongside Josh Downs.
UNC is 3-0 and welcomes in a Fighting Irish team that has struggled this season, at just 1-2. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm ET.
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