UNC Football Snags Top-Tier Signal Caller From Transfer Portal

UNC football head coach Bill Belichick may well have found his starting quarterback.

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Following months of speculation regarding who the starter under center will be in Belichick’s opening game as leader of a college program, it appears there is finally an outright favorite to assume that role.

Questions surrounding the health of senior Max Johnson and reported interest in transfer options suggested that the Tar Heels were searching for a starting signal caller. And now, they have officially secured one of their top options.

On Thursday night, On3’s Hayes Fawcett first reported that the Tar Heels landed a commitment from former South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez. He had been heavily linked to the UNC football recruiters since entering the transfer portal.

Lopez became South Alabama's full-time starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman last season, completing 66.0 percent of his pass attempts for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions. He also presents a threat with his legs, adding 465 yards and seven scores on the ground in 2024.

The 6-foot, 220-pound Alabama native entered the transfer portal on Monday morning. So, the staff in Chapel Hill made quick work to emerge as the frontrunner and reel in the three-star transfer prospect.

He will arrive in Chapel Hill with three years of eligibility remaining.

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