When Shipp returns to Charlotte, he always swings by Providence Day to visit and train with his former coaches, teammates and teachers.
He credits Grier’s college-level program with preparing him for the elevated expectations at UNC, but Grier puts all of Shipp’s success on his willingness to buy into Providence Day’s program and be a leader for his teammates, even as a young player himself.
“We talk about the standard at Providence Day and what that is, who upheld it and held us accountable to it, and he’s at the top of the list of guys who’ve been the standard,” Grier said.
It was a display of Shipp’s maturity, Grier believes, that allowed him to bide his time last season. It’s his on-field talent and leadership that are going to get him on this field this year.
Shipp’s talent lies largely in his versatility. He is especially tough to cover in the slot, but he doesn’t have a problem with contested catches, either. Providence Day won North Carolina independent school championships in his last three years. His senior year, he tallied 1,195 yards and 15 touchdowns and was a four-star recruit.
“He can play inside, play outside,” Belichick said. “Good hands, smart route runner, very dependable. Quarterbacks love throwing to him because they know where he’s going to be and he can come through in some tough situations.”
Both of the quarterbacks that Shipp took throws from last year are gone.
But he immediately started building chemistry with his teammates in the offseason, especially the trio of quarterbacks — graduate Max Johnson, first-year Bryce Baker and redshirt sophomore transfer Gio Lopez, who joined in the spring.
They worked out, bonded outside of practice and threw together.
“At the end of the day it comes down to relationships with the guys,” Shipp said. “I have to be able to trust them and they have to be able to trust me.”
While Shipp is only a sophomore, he is in the minority of UNC players who played in Chapel Hill last year and the even fewer who saw playing time.
Just like in high school, he’s taken on a de facto veteran role — an ambassador and receptionist not just for UNC football, but for Chapel Hill in general.
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“Jordan is a leader first and foremost,” offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens said. “Jordan always knows what to do, which is very special from that standpoint, especially at that position, if you play so many positions. And he helped the younger guys, you know he’s not that old of a guy either.”
Since coming to North Carolina, Shipp’s faith — in God, the university, everything — has grown stronger. It oozes out of him in a way that inspires confidence from everyone around him.
Which is perhaps why Belichick and Kitchens are putting their faith in Shipp.
He knows that he hasn’t done anything yet. He also knows that everyone is looking to him to be a top receiver this season.
But with everything to prove, Shipp isn’t feeling any pressure.
He has faith.