North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Aziah Johnson is no longer with the team, sources confirmed to Inside Carolina on Tuesday. The reason for his departure is unknown as of this writing.
Johnson, a sophomore transfer from Michigan State, joined the UNC program two weeks after Bill Belichick took the reins as head coach. He appeared in one game this season, pulling in one reception for six yards in the Tar Heels' 20-3 win at Charlotte on September 6.
In his freshman season at Michigan State, Johnson had 16 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns.
North Carolina is now 2-1 on the young season after a 41-6 win over FCS Richmond in Week 3. After the game, wide receiver Jordan Shipp praised quarterback Gio Lopez for the faith he has shown in the team's receiving corps.
“With us it’s just trust. I trust him. He trusts me,” Shipp told the media. “There are times in practice where 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. And I feel like that really starts. with just like our connection off the field. That’s one of my closest friends, one of my best friends. He’s like a brother to me.”
Lopez has completed 31 of his 53 pass attempts over three games, throwing for three touchdowns with one interception.
“It’s just chemistry and executing the offense,” Lopez added. “I mean, at the end of the day, we’re a bunch of new guys still gelling together, and I think every day counts. Practice counts, meetings count, everything we do together counts. I think as an offense, we’re gelling more and more, and the defense was doing a great job already.”
Next up for North Carolina is a trip south for a Saturday contest against UCF in a game that will air on FOX.
As for Johnson, it's unclear where he will go from here. Inside Carolina reports he also considered Duke, South Carolina, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest out of high school.
