Former South Alabama and new North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez threw 18 touchdowns and rushed for seven in 2024. (David Jensen/Getty Images)
(David Jensen via Getty Images)
North Carolina has made its first major transfer portal addition under new coach Bill Belichick.
The Tar Heels are signing former South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez ahead of the 2025 season. Lopez entered the transfer portal on Wednesday after he was the team’s starter in 2024, and he quickly committed to the Tar Heels.
Lopez played in 11 games as a sophomore in 2024 and was 206-of-312 passing for 2,559 yards and 18 TDs with just five interceptions. He averaged over eight yards an attempt and threw for 233 yards per game. He also rushed 83 times for 463 yards and seven scores as USA’s offense averaged 6.8 yards a play.
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When reports emerged he was entering the transfer portal earlier in the week, Lopez immediately became a coveted recruit for power conference teams looking for an upgrade at quarterback. And North Carolina fits that description.
The Tar Heels went 6-7 in Mack Brown’s final season in 2024 and struggled to find consistent quarterback play after Max Johnson’s injury in the season-opening game vs. Minnesota. With Johnson out for the year after a significant leg injury, Jacolby Criswell became the team’s primary quarterback for the rest of the season. He completed 58% of his passes for 2,459 yards and threw 15 TDs and six interceptions. Criswell entered the transfer portal in January and signed with East Tennessee State.
Johnson is in the midst of his rehab process and is set to return to the Tar Heels in 2025. Conner Harrell, Criswell’s backup in 2024, transferred to Charlotte in the offseason.
If Johnson is healthy, he’ll compete with Lopez to be the team’s starter ahead of the 2025 season. Former Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne hit the transfer portal this week, too, after landing with the Tar Heels in December. Browne played in eight games for the Boilermakers in 2024 and was 43-of-76 passing for 532 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 155 yards. It’s unclear where he’ll end up, but he opted to move when the Tar Heels’ pursuit of Lopez picked up.
This news was originally published on this post .
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