Gio Lopez Opens Up on Development and Belichick Connection

North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez spoke to the media at the Kenan Football Center on Tuesday ahead of the Tar Heels' upcoming matchup against Syracuse on Friday night. Here are five things he said.

In the first half against Virginia, you looked about as comfortable as you've been. What was working so well for the offense there? And how do you kind of model that moving forward?

UNC — Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) looks to pass in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

I think offensively, we just, you know, been stacking days every day in practice. It starts, you know, on Tuesday. Well, today we play Friday, so Monday for us, but just it starts to practice every week, and we had a good game plan. I think Coach Kitchens did a great job with our game plan, and we just got to keep stacking days as a team.

I'm sure there's multiple, but has there been a moment in the last couple of weeks that you've shared with Coach Belichick, just sort of one one-on-one, with him encouraging you a little bit and giving you some feedback on things, and just telling you to keep knowing that you can share.

UNC — Bill Belichick speaking to players | Jackson McCurdy, Tar Heels On SI

I think Coach Belichick has been great with all of us, encouraging all of us as a team, you know, as players, as individuals. I think for me personally, just me him meet up every Monday and watch film together, and we just kind of talk about the game and the game plan and what the defense is doing and how to go about, you know, that team.

So I think for me, just for me, every time feels like every time you get to talk to Coach Belichick, it's a great moment. So for me, just talking to him has been an awesome thing to do.

Has there been any like sort of advice? I guess one thing that's really stuck out to you, you've gotten in that meeting just being able to talk to him and learn from him?

I think it's been a multitude of things I can't pinpoint. One thing. But I think it's been just, he's everything. He kind of says he was always uplifting. Of course, he coached you hard, but he's never like beating you down or anything. Is always uplifting.

On handling outside noise and criticism of his play…

Quarterback Gio Lopez; Sept. 13, 2025 | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

I think, from a team standpoint, just, you know, just picking up everybody and, you know, having a good heads, good head on my shoulders, and just being uplifting in the wherever we're at, in the locker room, on the field, whatever. But for me, personally, I think just, I, you know, just being myself and not being worried about the outside noise you can't.

Coach (Belichick) always says don't worry about the outside noise for me, just it's I've always been in my me and my dad always talk about everything, and he's been a great person for me to lean on. And, you know, at the end of days, football at the end of the day, and I'm just excited to play football every day. So it's never, I never worry about what other people have to say.

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

I know you mentioned after the Cal game how, you know you feel healthier and forces, kind of, you kind of showing off entire windows and everything like that. But do you also feel like you're playing with more confidence now compared to at the beginning of the season, playing with more confidence?

UNC — Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) throws against the California Golden Bears in the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

I think this came with practice and understanding the players more than you're playing with. You know, for me, I got here kind of late, so just building chemistry. And I think I'm just building chemistry every day. I'm gonna go out here today. I practice and build more chemistry with my guys. And there's something that we just keep taking every day, you know, keep being better.

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