By R.L. Bynum
CHARLOTTE — When Gio Lopez entered the transfer portal after a breakout season at South Alabama, he wasn’t just looking for a new school — the quarterback was looking for a new challenge. What he found at North Carolina was precisely that: a shot at the major conference spotlight, a quarterback competition in Chapel Hill and a chance to be coached by Bill Belichick.
The decision didn’t take long.
“Funny enough, wasn’t much of a pitch needed. When you get the greatest head coach of all time talking to you, pretty much just listen,” said Lopez, who last season threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns and five interceptions while running for 463 yards and seven touchdowns. “He just kind of told me, just a chance to compete. That’s all I wanted. I’m not asking for any handouts. I just want to compete.”
The 6–0, 203-pound redshirt sophomore showed off some of the benefits of the big money he’s making at Carolina during his appearance at ACC Kickoff last week, wearing Gucci glasses and a pricey-looking chain.
Lopez, known for his poise and off-script playmaking, brings a versatile skill set to UNC’s quarterback room. He’s a dual-threat athlete with a wide receiver’s instincts — literally. He played wideout as a freshman in high school before transitioning to quarterback. That background still helps his feel for timing and spacing.
Some have compared him to Baltimore Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson. Lopez said it’s “awesome” to be compared to Jackson.
“When plays break down, I can make a negative play, not a negative play,” said Lopez, whose 7.7 yards per play led the Sun Belt Conference. “Just make sure the play doesn’t go backwards, keep the chains moving forward. So that’s why I say it’s a good positive.”
Lopez isn’t just a flashy runner. He’s fiercely protective of the football.
“I’m smart with the ball, and don’t force a lot of stuff,” he said. “Of course, you’ve got times you’ve got to take a risk and throw a ball into a tight window, but I don’t feel like I put the ball in jeopardy.”
Lopez’s transition to UNC wasn’t traditional. He arrived in the second transfer portal window and missed UNC’s spring practice. That meant no early reps and no time to waste.
“I’m a big flashcard guy,” he said. “They gave us iPads here, which is great, but I still write things down — play names on the front, concepts on the back. Reps in the film room, reps with my notecards, reps with the guys in player-led workouts. I’m doing whatever it takes.”
Lopez speaks about the playbook like a student who’s cramming for a test. He credits his rapid progress to the conceptual carryover between systems.
“Once you learn a playbook, a lot of stuff translates,” he said. “There’s different terminology, there’s different ways to execute plays. But there’s only so many ways you can run post cross, stuff like that.”
He added, “Honestly, playbook-wise—when it comes to all their concepts, or like the run game or protections — I know all of it. I’ve pretty much learned everything. I guess like it’s one thing to learn something, but it’s another thing to master it.”
Despite arriving late, Lopez isn’t deterred by the accelerated timeline to get ready for the Sept. 1 season opener in a sold-out Kenan Stadium against TCU.
“Of course, there’s a little bit of time crunch,” he said. “Would I love to have been here for the spring? Of course. But at the end of the day, it’s a blessing to be here. It’s a blessing to take on this opportunity, blessed to take on this battle.”
With preseason camp opening on Saturday and the quarterback battle heating up, Lopez has embraced the competitive environment. He’s competing with senior Max Johnson, who broke his right leg in last season’s opener at Minnesota, and freshman Bryce Baker.
“The quarterback battle has been awesome. Of course, as a competitor, you’ve got to love it. If you don’t love competition, you shouldn’t be playing football,” he said. “Max has been awesome. We’ve been super helpful with each other. We went to Manning Passing Academy together, and we honestly got closer there.”
One of the more subtle changes in Lopez’s game as he makes the jump to a power conference is learning when to slide and avoid a big hit that could knock him out of the game.
“Last year, I think I slid maybe twice all season,” Lopez said. “So for me, I did get a talk like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to protect our bodies a little more.’”
It’s been a shift in mentality for the ultra-competitive playmaker after conversations with the coaching staff.
“It just comes from a competitive standpoint,” he said. “ ‘Hey, I got five yards. Why not go get six?’ That mindset had to change a little bit. Of course, third down and short — if I’ve got to get it, I go get it. But just from the standpoint of not taking as many hits has been a big thing for me in the conversation. Just keeping my body healthy and making sure I stay upright.”
Lopez had only seen Belichick on TV or in highlight reels. Now, he’s learning directly from the six-time Super Bowl champion.
“You can never picture what it’s like to be coached by Coach Belichick. But once you get there, you understand he’s a very personable person. Wants to teach and wants to make you be the best version of yourself,” Lopez said.
Lopez has also been surprised by Belichick’s sense of humor.
“A lot of people have this persona that he’s a hard-nosed, won’t talk to you guy — but he’s honestly a funny dude,” he said. “We’ll be watching film together, he’ll make a joke, and you’re like — you laugh a little bit, then you laugh a lot harder, because like — wow, Bill Belichick said that.”
Even with his massive resume, Belichick’s message to Lopez was humble and direct.
“He told me, ‘Look, I’ve coached a lot of quarterbacks. I’m not expecting you to be Tom Brady. I’m expecting you to be Gio Lopez.’ That was very lucky,” Lopez said.
Lopez isn’t distracted by the spotlight — even if it’s noticeably brighter in Chapel Hill. One measure is on his Instagram account, where posts from his time playing at South Alabama usually received around 1,000 likes.
“I committed to UNC, I got 40,000 likes … and I’m getting all these followers. I’m like, oh, OK, this is a lot,” he said. “But it’s honestly a blessing to even be in this situation.”
When he needs perspective, he turns to his family. “Anytime I feel a little overwhelmed, I just talk to my sister. She’s always super helpful for me,” he added.
While the buzz grows around Carolina football, Lopez keeps the focus simple.
“Goal-wise is just to win games. I mean, I could go out there and throw for 10 yards a game — if we win 12 games, I don’t care,” he said. “I’m just volunteering to be a leader and win games.”
Lopez’s path to UNC wasn’t a straight line. Surgery during high school cost him offers. He worked his way up at South Alabama and earned this opportunity.
“I tore my shoulder my junior year, had surgery on it. A lot of schools stopped talking to me,” Lopez said. “But South Alabama gave me that opportunity … and just the opportunity to be able to compete on a bigger level — of course, with the greatest head coach of all time — I mean, who wouldn’t take that deal?”
He added, “I’ve waited my turn, and I’ve tried to earn everything I’ve done. I’ve had a great support cast, and just to have the opportunity to be here — it’s been a blessing.”
Lopez isn’t making promises ahead of preseason camp, but knows what he brings.
“I feel like I bring a lot to the table as a competitor and as a player. I feel like I make a lot of plays. I’m fun to watch,” he said. “But also, just making plays off script. When a play goes wrong, I feel like I have a good way of making the best out of every play.”
He wants to be tough, smart and dependable — the mantra Belichick repeats in every meeting.
“If you don’t love football, if you don’t want a little bit of pressure, a little bit of competition — then this isn’t for you,” he said. “I’m just here to compete and win. That’s all I need.”
The major work on the practice field starts Saturday.
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent | Record/ TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| September | |||
| 1 | L, 48–14 | vs. TCU | 0–1 |
| 6 | W, 20–3 | at Charlotte | 1–1 |
| 13 | W, 41–6 | vs. Richmond | 2–1 |
| 20 | L, 34–9 | at UCF | 2–2 |
| October | |||
| 4 | L, 38–10 | vs. Clemson | 2–3, 0–1 ACC |
| 17 (Fri.) | L, 21–18 | at California | 2–4, 0–2 |
| 25 | L, 17–16, OT | vs. No. 16 Virginia | 2–5, 0–3 |
| 31 (Fri.) | W, 27–10 | at Syracuse | 3–5, 1–3 |
| November | |||
| 8 | W, 20–15 | vs. Stanford | 4–5, 2–3 |
| 15 | L, 28–12 | at Wake Forest | 4–6, 2–4 |
| 22 | L, 32–25 | vs. Duke | 4–7, 2–5 |
| 29 | L, 42–19 | at N.C. State | 4–8, 2–6 |
Photo via @UNCFootball
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