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DURHAM -- While some of his Duke teammates work themselves up before a game, Eron Riley opts to stay relaxed and even joke around.

"I'm not one to sit in a corner and listen to music and beat myself about the head," the receiver said. "I like to joke, but at the same time I know I've got to be serious and I've got to take care of business."

If this season is any indication, Riley's approach is working just fine. The 6-foot-3, 200 pound junior leads the ACC with seven touchdown catches and also ranks among the nation's best in yards per catch. Those plays have given the Blue Devils one of their best downfield threats in years.

"There's a couple of guys on each and every team that can make big plays, and he's a guy that makes big plays for us and stretches the field," coach Ted Roof said Tuesday. "We're talking about a guy that hits home runs. ... Where we are as a building process, those guys have to play well to have a chance to win."

Riley, a native of Savannah, Ga., has 28 catches for a team-high 581 yards this season for a gaudy 20.8 yards per catch -- good for ninth nationally. With fellow receiver Jomar Wright and quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, Riley helps to give Duke one of the league's better passing attacks heading into Saturday's game at Florida State.

Riley, though, excels at big plays.

He had six catches for 235 yards and four touchdowns in a Sept. 22 loss at Navy. Then after catching a touchdown pass against Miami the next week, Riley added eight catches for 143 yards and two more scores on Oct. 6 against Wake Forest.

Riley's seven touchdown catches ties him for 11th in the nation, and his 83 yards receiving per game is third in the ACC.

His biggest regret is that those statistics haven't resulted in more victories.

"I have pretty good numbers as an individual, but it would be much better if we were winning," Riley said. "I'd give some of those catches back for some wins."

Riley's run actually began last season, when he led the ACC at 20.1 yards per catch. Roof went as far as to say that Riley seemed like "kind of a secret in the ACC" coming into the season, though he's starting to get more attention for his play now.

Not that his teammates hadn't already noticed, down to his lighthearted pregame demeanor.

"He's a real funny guy," defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase said. "He likes to joke around a lot. Besides that, we know he's going to perform for us, so he can joke around all he wants. We know he'll come down with the ball and make plays."