Why the Little Things Matter to UNC Star Jordan Shipp

The Tar Heels need to change many things this season if they don't want to face the same fate from a year ago.

Jul 17, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina wide reciever Jordan Shipp, talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's a make-or-break season for the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2026, and bouncing back from a disastrous 2025 campaign will require the players and coaches to adjust their approach.

Earlier this week, Bill Belichick, Jordan Shipp, and Melkart Abou Jaoude sat down with ACC Digital Network to preview the upcoming season. All three provided instrumental insights, but Shipp's thoughts on accountability and the team growing closer caught my attention.

Shipp's Thoughts

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) celebrates with wide receiver Alex Taylor (0) and running back Caleb Hood (4) after making a touchdown catch in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• "I feel like this team is a lot closer," Shipp said. "We didn't have the whole, one team in before spring ball, [and] after spring ball, another 40 new players...Once that portal window closed, we knew this is our team. We were able to gel, we were able to bond, spend a lot more time together; the team grew closer."

• "Just small things, like a player-ran team, like a player-ran culture, just holding each other accountable for bigger stuff, and even like the small things like going to class - something as small as just going to class, just being able to make everything important, to make it so that like, that's going to show up on the field."

• "If we can't trust you to go to class at eight in the morning, I can't trust you on fourth down when we [have to have it]...So, it all starts in the offseason."

Main Takeaways and Reactions

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. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is honestly refreshing to hear because the Tar Heels have been swirling ever since Belichick took over as head coach last offseason. Over the last several months, specifically in the transfer portal, it appeared that North Carolina had turned the page, but that momentum stalled when general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave in late July.

It's another off-field distraction that could prove too much and derail the Tar Heels' entire operation. That said, Shipp's comments about the players taking control in practice and holding each other to a high standard are things you want to hear from one of your established leaders.

Last offseason, North Carolina's roster was a makeshift construction, as Belichick took over during the opening of the transfer portal window. The Tar Heels didn't have the pieces in place to build out a well-thought-out plan. That showed on the field, as North Carolina was outmatched in most of its games, leading to a 4-8 record.

This offseason, the Tar Heels' brass had ample time to assess and improve the roster through the transfer portal and recruiting class. While the incoming talent is robust, the players and coaching staff need to hold each other accountable if they want this season to be dramatically different than 2025.