Overall Look of the QB Room After TCU Loss

On Labor Day, North Carolina’s offense didn’t show up for work as TCU steamrolled the Tar Heels 48-14.

UNC managed just 222 yards of total offense, with the ground game stalled at 50 rushing yards. The passing attack was just as bad, sputtering until the late third quarter when Max Johnson replaced injured starter Gio Lopez.

After Lopez opened with two completions for 58 yards, North Carolina went the next 34 minutes of game time without completing another pass — a drought that stretched two hours and seven minutes in real time. The only “completion” was a pick-six thrown by Lopez to Bud Clark.

Lopez finished the game by going 4-for-10 for 69 yards, while Johnson went 9-for-11 with 103 yards and a touchdown. It was Johnson’s first game since his season-ending injury in the season opener against Minnesota last season.

Notable Quotes from QB Coach Matt Lombardi During Midweek Presser on Sept. 3.

UNC — North Carolina QBs Coach Matt Lombardi | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

On Max Johnson's Return from Injury

Max is an ultimate competitor, extremely tough, and the one thing about him that you love is that he grew up around football, so I can, him and I relate a lot in terms of our childhood, right, and kind of how he understands football, so the work he's put in to come back and to play that night, it was a special story, and I couldn't be more proud of him, and he's earned the right to do that and to perform well, and, you know, he's just the ultimate competitor, you know, but tough as nails, so it was awesome to see.

Lombardi said he thinks the focus must remain on the next play …

"First game of the year, so whether he's new or not, you're always going to have those jitters. When you perform well on the first drive, it's always the next play mentality. So whatever happened in the past, good or bad, you gotta move on to the next one and focus on the next play.

Lombardi on Utilizing Gio Lopez's Abilities Better ...

I think we're going to look at everything, in terms of an offense. I think that when you don't perform well, I think you're going to look at some things, and how you, things we did well, things we didn't do well, so I think we're going to take that all into account.

I don't think it's necessarily just because of his skill set or things that we have to do to match his skill set. He can do everything in our eyes, so we're going to do what's best for the team, all right, and do what's best, what gives us the best chance to win at the end of the day.

Lombardi on Belichick's calming presence after the TCU loss on Monday ..

"Coach is the same guy every day and that's what makes him so great and what makes him so unique. Whether it's good or bad, if he wins the Super Bowl or we lose Monday night, you're going to get the same guy the next day. He's a great teacher, a great leader and somebody that we can lean towards when we need answers.

UNC — Sep 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Max Johnson (14) looks to pass in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Lombardi on his positive relationship with the QB Room …

“The best thing about him (Lopez) and the rest of the quarterbacks is they're all coachable and they want to be coached well and they want to perform well. So, they're going to do whatever it takes to do that. I think it's just being positive but also being critical of certain things.”

Lombardi on Gio Lopez’s Pick-Six Late in the First Half …

UNC quarterback Gio Lopez will be the Tar Heels' starting quarterback in the season opener against TCU. | Rodd Baxley/The Fayetteville Observer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Yeah, I mean, there's a lot of things that go into football. There's, you know, 11 guys and just not all one person. I think he would love to have a throwback. It's just certain things in football, you know."

“Things spiral and you make it worse and you wish you had it back, but that was his first read and it just so happened and it didn't turn out well. So you've got to move on. Short memory, but a long memory. You know, you've got to learn from it and you've got to forget it at the same time. So that's the beauty of playing quarterback.”

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