CHAPEL HILL – The one thing Rontavius Groves has been best known for during his North Carolina football career is something he hopes to never experience again. Though if anyone on the Tar Heels’ roster can handle such adversity, it’s Groves.

He’s already proven that. Twice.

Groves didn’t drop a pass or do anything that cost the Tar Heels a game. It was nothing that embarrassed the UNC wide receiver referred to by his teammates as “Toe.” It was more painful than that.

The Nashville, TN, native suffered a bad knee injury in the spring of 2017, fought back to get onto the field for the fourth game of the season that fall versus Duke. Groves, who had returned a punt for seven yards earlier in the game, which was his college debut, went long near the middle of the field, but Chazz Surratt’s pass was a bit high and by the time Groves’ body had crumbled to the ground, he was writhing in pain.

He’d torn his other knee and was out for the season.

Just like that, before his Carolina career could gain the slightest traction, Groves was dealing with a second major knee injury.

“The second one, definitely,” Groves replied, when asked which was tougher to return from. “I grinded all the way back for six months and the first game back I messed up my other knee, it was horrible.”

Naturally, Groves went through a why-me phase.

“Oh yeah, definitely, both times,” he said. “I trust God and I trust what He’s got for me.”

The despair didn’t last long, however. Groves’ faith provided strength and so did his teammates.

“It’s a brotherhood here and my brothers picked me up when I was down,” he said.

The injury versus the Blue Devils happened 21 months ago and Groves says he was 100 percent long before spring practice commenced. Nothing lingers except the memory, and that’s not going anywhere. And while he’d become an afterthought to most observers, Groves was rebuilding his body so he could once again run on the field with his brothers.

And they helped.

“I lost all my muscle in my quad, just getting that back was tough for me,” he explained. “(And) once I got back on the field, I was comfortable because I had the support around me to help me understand I’m going to be alright…

“It was big because without them I don’t think I’d be in the position that I am now. They kept me inspired, motivated and helped me when I needed help.”

Things are alright now and Groves is very much in the mix in UNC’s rotation as the Tar Heels fine tune the new air raid offense that requires a lot of quality pass catchers to reach full effectiveness.

Groves played last season, catching 10 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. His long went for 54 yards, showing those repaired knees can still churn out a big gain. But now he’s hoping for more but is content being a part of a talented receiver corps that has embraced the new offense.

“We’re all just trying to fight for that starting job,” Groves said. “We’ve got a lot of depth, we’ve got a lot of speed. We’ve got a lot of guys that do well at the receiver spot, a lot of height, quickness. Honestly, we’re just going to keep competing.”

Groves says he may return some kickoffs this season, which would signal another layer of his amazing comeback. And maybe at some point this season or before his Carolina career is over, Groves will be best known for something else that takes place on the football field, like a touchdown or a great catch.

It would certainly be a welcome replacement as a new lasting image.