North Carolina’s offense has nowhere to go but up after last fall’s mess, and that makes Mason Humphrey one of the more interesting names to watch as Bill Belichick and Bobby Petrino remake the Tar Heels.
UNC finished 126th in scoring per game, a number that summed up a rough season and pushed Belichick to overhaul the offense. Freddie Kitchens was removed, Petrino was brought in to run the attack, and the roster has been stocked with help across the board.
That reset has created a new look on offense: a quarterback battle, a run game built around physicality, a stronger line, and a receiver room with real upside. At the center of that group, at least as a potential vertical threat, is Humphrey, a fourth-year senior from Lehigh.
Jordan Shipp is the clear headliner at receiver and is expected to lead the Tar Heels in receiving yards, catches, and touchdowns under Petrino. But Humphrey brings a different kind of danger.
Last season, he averaged 18.6 yards per catch, a figure that would have ranked among the top 12 receivers in FBS. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he gives quarterbacks a big target with size, athleticism, and length that can stress defenses at every level of the field.
The fit looks straightforward. Petrino figures to move receivers around the formation to create favorable matchups, and Humphrey projects as the kind of player who can be isolated on vertical routes like posts, go routes, and fades. He could also be used on crossing patterns that let him work in space and turn catches into explosive plays.
Humphrey may wind up as the ideal complement to Shipp, and Petrino said after one practice that the quarterbacks are already enjoying his company.
If that connection keeps building, UNC’s passing game could look a lot more dangerous than it did a year ago. And Humphrey’s big-play ability would be a big reason why.
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