Meet UNC football’s new QB, fighting for his chance at the Power Four level

Gio Lopez bided his time. He waited for his opportunity.

He didn’t get discouraged when college interest out of high school slowed following a shoulder injury in the quarterback’s junior year. He threw himself into the opportunity he had: Playing Division I football at South Alabama.

He waited his turn with the Jaguars, even when appearances under center were few and far between during his true freshman season. He pounced when he got his first chance to start that year in the 68 Ventures Bowl. South Alabama walked away with its first-ever bowl game victory, and Lopez with the MVP trophy and a permanent gig as the starter.

Two years later, one of UNC’s only two quarterbacks available for spring practice, Ryan Browne, re-entered the transfer portal and returned to Purdue, his former school. Lopez saw the opening and entered the portal, too, despite initial plans to remain with the Jaguars.

Then, legendary head coach Bill Belichick came calling. With a chance to jump from the Group of Five to play for a Power Four team, Lopez ran with it.

Even if his chance came later than expected, the opportunity is here now.

Sitting in the breakout room of ACC Kickoff with cameras shoved in his face, Lopez’s smile was wide and his blue suit pristine. Although Belichick has yet to announce who will get the start at QB in September against TCU, Lopez was the only UNC quarterback in attendance for the media day in Charlotte.

“I really do think I’m prepared to play,” Lopez said. “I wouldn’t have made that jump and I don’t think Coach Belichick would’ve taken me if he didn’t think I could have played.”

And even if he has to wait until fall camp in early August to officially earn the starting role, that has defined his football career.

As a two-sport athlete in high school at James Clemens in Madison, Alabama, he tore his rotator cuff and ligaments in his shoulder diving for a ball in baseball. It took six months to fully recover and a surgery. He had to give up baseball.

“He was in agony,” former James Clemens football head coach Chad McGehee said. “But he just pushed through it.”

Before, Lopez was receiving interest from Big 10 and ACC football programs, but many stopped talking to him. That football season, he played through the pain and helped lead James Clemens to its first-ever 10-0 regular season, yet his career’s trajectory was changed.

McGehee saw Lopez’s talent and ability early. He said he never forgets the first time he watched Lopez throw — the quick release and the way the ball exploded out of his hands. It was the “real deal.” An X factor.

“From Day 1, I’ve told everybody that this is the guy,” McGehee said. “He’s the guy. He’s gonna be a dude. He’s that talented. I’d been [coaching] for, at the time, 25 years, I just finished my 26th season, those guys don’t come along often and I knew it.”

South Alabama didn’t give up on him.

As a redshirt freshman the year after his performance in the bowl game, Lopez threw for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2024, completing 66 percent of his passes and starting in 11 games for the Jaguars. His average of 274.7 yards of total offense per game ranked 22nd in the nation.

South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite taught him how to read plays and defenses and how to understand protections. He showed Lopez how to study the playbook.

“Who I am today as a quarterback I wouldn’t be without Coach Apple,” Lopez said.

The Jaguars’ head coach supported Lopez through it all, even when Belichick showed interest in the quarterback. The pitch was simple from the man of few words: If Lopez wanted to compete for a spot to play in a bigger program, that opportunity was available at UNC.

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Lopez said.

When he committed to Carolina as ESPN’s sixth-best available transfer in mid-April, Lopez missed all of spring practice.

Still, he said he has learned the entire playbook. The concepts. The run game. The protections. He spent the last few months studying, flipping through flash cards and drawing plays on a whiteboard three to four times a day. Then, he ran through the plays live with teammates like sophomore wide receiver Jordan Shipp.

“The numbers do the talking,” Shipp said. “There’s no need for me to really talk more about what he can do. He’s a great athlete, great with the ball in his hands, he’s going to put you and your team in positions to win. I’m excited to have the opportunity to be able to share the field with him.”

Lopez credits the study tactics to his mom, Dee, a former elementary school teacher, and of course, Applewhite.

But it’s only been one piece of the preparation. He’s focused on situating himself as a leader, meeting up with teammates for lunch and in the locker room and spending extra time in workouts to get to know people.

Now, there’s just one more push to make to earn his dream opportunity.

“Don’t take anything for granted,” Lopez said. “I know a lot of people would love to be in my situation, and I’ve waited my turn. I’ve tried to earn everything I’ve done. I’ve had a great supporting cast, and just to have the opportunity to be here has been a blessing.”