UNC's Quarterback Chaos Exposes Kitchens’ Offensive Confusion

The offense didn’t show any real rhythm until the late third quarter, when Max Johnson entered for injured starter Gio Lopez. Also, North Carolina infamously did not complete a pass for over two hours in real time.

What North Carolina needs to do moving forward is a question only offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens can answer. The responsibility falls squarely on him, and much of it begins with how he chooses to manage the quarterback position.

Quarterback Controversy

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.

While Lopez is expected to get the start against Charlotte, another mediocre performance could force Belichick to sit him for Johnson.

Is Kitchens’ Offensive Playcalling the Issue?

Lopez struggled and there’s no doubt about it, but the system didn’t do him any favors. 

The first drive featured plays tailored to his skill set with play-action and RPO sets out of the pistol and shotgun. After that, the offense shifted toward a pro-style scheme due to the snapping issues out of the shotgun formation. However, that style of offense catered to Johnson more than Lopez. 

Naturally, Johnson looked more comfortable—it’s the system he ran at Texas A&M and LSU. Lopez, meanwhile, was left trying to force himself into something that didn’t fit.

Instead of leaning into Lopez’s playmaking ability, Kitchens asked him to run an offense that didn’t suit him. 

Other programs provide examples of how it can be done when it comes to forming an offense around the abilities of that said quarterback. Gus Malzahn at Florida State leaned into Thomas Castellanos’ running ability to mask his throwing limitations and that was evident in the Seminoles’ 31-17 upset over No. 8 Alabama. 

Georgia Tech, which runs a power spread offense, has done the same with Haynes King, a turnover-prone passer but a powerful runner. 

Knowing Lopez’s running ability and Kitchens’ favoritism towards a physical approach, you would think the Tar Heels would follow Tech’s model. They didn’t, as Lopez only had four rushing attempts against TCU—one of them a sack. That’s not an adaptation. That’s stubbornness.

And that’s the problem with Kitchen's approach. If UNC is committed to running a pro-style offense, Johnson should be the quarterback. If Lopez is the choice, then the scheme must be tailored around his strengths. Right now, the Tar Heels are caught in between, forcing Lopez into a system that doesn’t fit simply because the school invested $2 million in him.

The bottom line: Kitchens has to pick a lane. Either build the offense around Lopez’s mobility or commit fully to Johnson in the pro-style system. Until that decision is made, North Carolina will continue to look like a team without an identity.