© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
The North Carolina football team is in the midst of a major transition ahead of the 2025 college football season. The Tar Heels have introduced a new coaching staff led by Bill Belichick.
The group was forced to replace much of the roster, which bailed for the transfer portal following Mack Brown’s exit. One of the most important additions is quarterback Gio Lopez.
Lopez signed with the program after spending two years at South Alabama. A dual threat signal caller, he threw for 2,559 yards and rushed for another 463 last season.
Now, he’s in a battle for the rights to QB1 in Chapel Hill. He finds himself competing with former starter Max Johnson, who is returning from injury. Lopez is the favorite to land the keys to the offense at this point in time.
There are questions about Gio Lopez.
Those revolve mainly around his ability to throw the football. While he did complete 66% of his passes as a starter last year, there are those that doubt his accuracy, particularly under pressure.
He briefly put that narrative to rest with his performance at the Manning Passing Academy, catching the eye of NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay.
“He’s short, but has BIG arm talent and killed it in the QB competition… The deep ball specifically is beautiful, and it’s clear he has a lot of confidence in his arm.”
-Todd McShay
Still, Lopez believes he’s being overlooked as a true passer.
Earlier this offseason, he spoke on the outside perception ahead of Year 1. He’s hoping to prove his doubters wrong this fall.
“A lot of people view me as a runner… I feel like when I do scramble, it’s for me to pass. I’m not running just to take off.
“Overall, I feel like I’m underrated… The UNC team, as a whole, feels underrated and wants to prove themselves.”
-Gio Lopez
UNC failed to quiet the narrative.
The social media team posted a video of a pass and catch from Lopez to wide receiver Kobe Paysour. It would not have counted in a real game.
The throw led its intended target two steps out of bounds. While the wideout had his man beat and safely secured the catch, he was unable to get a foot down inbounds due to the pass placement.
One throw does not confirm any negativity surrounding Gio Lopez’s passing abilities. It has no bearing on his future under center with the Tar Heels.
With that being said, North Carolina has likely heard the noise regarding its transfer passer. Next time, they might highlight the quarterback’s precision with a catch that counts!