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Bill Belichick Officially Names His Starting QB For Year 1 At UNC

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 3:00 PM ET

This Monday we'll see former Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick make his college football head coaching debut with the North Carolina Tar Heels. But today, we got to learn who he'll be starting under center.

On Wednesday, North Carolina announced that Gio Lopez will be the Week 1 starter against the TCU Horned Frogs. Lopez was the starting quarterback for South Alabama last season, completing 66-percent of his passes for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns with just five interceptions as a redshirt freshman and helping the team reach a bowl game.

"South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez will start North Carolina's opener at QB under coach Bill Belichick on Monday against TCU. Fully expected but now official," ESPN's Adam Rittenberg reported.

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— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) August 27, 2025

Lopez was a three-star prospect coming out of high school in 2023. His scholarship offers mostly came from Group of Five and FCS schools.

Dec 14, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head football coach Bill Belichick is introduced during half time at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images© Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The UNC QB Situation

When Bill Belichick took the North Carolina job late last year, the cupboard was pretty bare of experienced quarterbacks. Three of the four quarterbacks who threw even a single pass for the team in 2024 all graduated or transferred within weeks of his joining.

Last year's leading passer, Jacolby Criswell, transferred to East Tennessee State. Backup Conner Harrell went to Charlotte and Michael Merdinger went to Liberty. Three other quarterbacks entered the transfer portal.

While Lopez may have had to learn a new system with offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, he gives Belichick the benefit of much-needed experience under center.

As much as people are inclined to question if Belichick can make the transition from NFL to college coaching, the question on whether he's assembled a roster that any coach can win with will likely be answered much faster.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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