Star WR Highlights “My Bad” Problem Impacting UNC's Offense

If it wasn’t already clear after North Carolina’s 28-12 defeat to Wake Forest last Saturday, the Tar Heels’ offense is in rough shape.

No one understood this better than sophomore receiver Jordan Shipp, who stood up in the postgame locker room and addressed his teammates, apologizing minutes after the loss became final.

Shipp accepted responsibility for the offense’s shortcomings and threw praise to UNC’s defense, a unit he said has provided a fighting chance in games where the offense has struggled to keep pace.

UNC — Sep 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) signals firts down in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

“I went in when we got in the locker room after the game,” Shipp said at Allegacy Stadium during his postgame media availability. “And I told them, I was like, ‘Defense, y’all are balling. It’s on us. We have a very, very, very talented defense, a top defense in the country. And they don’t get the honor that they should get because of the offense. And that’s just something we’ve just got to own up to.’”

Frustrated but measured, Shipp never singled out quarterback Gio Lopez, his offensive teammates, or any coach for blame. Instead, he insisted UNC’s offensive woes remain a collective failure—a reflection, he suggests, of the leader he strives to be.

He called the repeated mistakes “my bads”— miscues that stall critical drives and lead to quick apologies from whoever slips up.

“I mean, like I said, we're killing ourselves," Shipp said. "It's not, it's not Gio's fault. It's not the center's fault, guard's fault, the tackles, receivers, running backs. It's just everybody's taking their turns on ‘my bad.’ One ‘my bad’ ruins the whole play. You have what? Three, my bads on a drive.”

“That's 20-something 'my bads' throughout the game, you know?” Shipp continued. “That's 20-some plays down the drain, you know. So, I mean, like I said, it's not one person, it's the overall team. Coach (Garrick) McGee says 11 is one. We're all moving as one. Eleven is one.”

The Offensive Struggles Are Clear

UNC — North Carolina offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

UNC’s offense lacked spark against Wake Forest. The Tar Heels managed just 257 yards of total offense, reaching the Demon Deacons’ 30-yard line five times but never scoring a touchdown. Carolina went 1-for-3 in the red zone and converted only four of 14 third-down opportunities. It was their first game without a touchdown since 2016, when Larry Fedora was head coach and Mitchell Trubisky was quarterback.

Lopez finished 21 of 36 for 201 yards, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt. He went 6-for-16 on passes to the left side. Only two completions resulted in gains of 15 yards or more; none traveled more than 15 yards downfield for a completion.

Lopez found little success inside the Wake Forest 30, going just 1-for-7 on passing attempts in that area. On third downs in the red zone, he went 0-for-4 and was sacked once.

Quarterback Gio Lopez; Sept. 13, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

Despite those struggles, head coach Bill Belichick defended Lopez as the starter.

“I thought he did a pretty good job,” Belichick said, noting the pressure applied by Wake Forest, which sacked Lopez twice.

North Carolina’s rushing attack also sputtered, gaining just 56 yards. Demon June led with nine carries for 32 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per attempt, while Benjamin Hall added 21 yards on eight attempts.

UNC — Bill Belichick | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

With two pivotal games against Duke and NC State looming, significant changes to the offense appear unlikely. Regardless, Shipp said he hopes North Carolina will do some real soul-searching before its chance at bowl eligibility slips away.

“We need to look in the mirror, own up to it, and go finish these last two games,” Shipp said.

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