UNC wide receiver talks team's 2025 offensive potential at ACC Kickoff
Despite 2024 ending in UNC's first losing football record since 2021, offense continued to be a bright spot in Chapel Hill, even with several quarterback changes.
Omarion Hampton, who later became the Los Angeles Chargers' first-round NFL Draft Pick in April, cemented himself as one of the best backs in program history. Jacolby Criswell was much-needed at quarterback – without him, North Carolina doesn't get anywhere close to a bowl game.
The Tar Heels' offense will look plenty different in 2025, but in a good way. At ACC Kickoff on Thursday afternoon in Charlotte, UNC sophomore wide receiver Jordan Shipp praised his team's offensive potential this fall, pointing to new offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens as a main reason.
'We're definitely going to be a unique offense," Shipp said. "Don't want to give too much out, but we're going to be unique. We're going to do a lot of different stuff and get a lot of first downs. We're going to score a lot of points. Coach Belichick kept him here for a reason, he obviously liked what he was doing. There's no reason not to trust him 100%. We're going to be unique, we're going to move the ball with different persons, different personnels and a lot of different people.'
Shipp played well for a freshman with limited action in 2024, catching nine passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, making him one of nine UNC pass-catchers to reach the century mark in receiving yards.
Kitchens, formerly North Carolina's tight ends coach and run game coordinator, will now be tasked leading an offense with several new starters at skill positions. Kitchens led the Tar Heels in their Fenway Bowl appearance, taking over for the then-recently-fired Mack Brown.
2024 starter Max Johnson, who spent most of last season rehabbing a broken leg suffered in the opener at Minnesota, will compete with South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez for the starting quarterback gig. Davion Gause returns much-needed production at running back, while Shipp and Kobe Paysour will lead a new-look receiving corps.
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