Jordan Shipp and Gio Lopez: A Connection Built on Trust

The Carolina offense was missing a piece to their puzzle of success. In the press conference after Week 3’s game against Richmond, quarterback Gio Lopez made it clear that he and his teammates had the skill all along, but what mattered most in the crucial moments was dependability among the players.

The Tar Heels needed to execute and see results. By Week 3, it was evident that Lopez was beginning to find his rhythm - and wide receiver Jordan Shipp was right there with him, being a constant dependable outlet.

When comparing UNC’s transformation from the team they were during the loss to TCU, to the team they were after coming off two consecutive wins in Weeks 2 and 3, Gio Lopez attributed the success to chemistry amongst the team. He finally began to feel the offensive execution and game-changing factors he wanted to see sharpened. He specifically shouted out his teammate Jordan Shipp.

Lopez didn’t hold back when describing Shipp’s value to the Tar Heel offense.

“Jordan is a complete receiver,” Lopez said. “He’s going to do his job, whatever role he needs to be. If he needs to be outside, if he needs to be the slot, if he needs to be a crack block on the run, he’s going to do it. Whatever it takes to give him the ball, it’s going to be a good deal.”

That versatility-and the ongoing trust between the two-was fully on display against Richmond during week 3’s game. 

Shipp led all UNC receivers with 52 yards, averaging 13 yards per catch. His highlight of the night came on a 29-yard grab that showcased both Lopez’s confidence in his target and Shipp’s ability to make good on it. The connection helped fuel UNC’s 35-point victory, a win that restored rhythm to an offense defined, as Lopez puts it, by being “smart, tough, and dependable.”

For Shipp, the trust runs both ways.

• “I feel like the biggest thing with us is just trust,” Shipp said. “I trust him. He trusts me. There are times in practice where, like, he throws me some balls that maybe he shouldn’t technically throw, but he just trusts me. I’m able to go make plays for him.”

That chemistry doesn’t stop once the helmets and uniforms come off. Off the field, Lopez and Shipp have built a friendship that carries over to game day. They spend time with each other’s families and push one another to improve.