Just a couple of weeks after reports stated Gio Lopez planned to return to North Carolina for his final season of eligibility, the rising senior quarterback is now expected to enter the portal according
to reports from 247 and others.
The news comes just one day after the Tar Heels received a commitment from Wisconsin transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and happens on the same day that former Texas A&M quarterback, and former Bobby Petrino recruit, Miles O’Neill is visiting Chape Hill.
Lopez leaves the program after a horrible offensive season in head coach Bill Belichick’s first season on the job. The junior quarterback struggled with injuries and to lead a North Carolina offense that finished the season at the bottom of most statistical categories including bottom five amongst P4 schools in yards and points per game.
Lopez’s 1,747 passing yards was good for 103rd this season, while his 10 passing touchdowns was good for 106th (just to put his offense into perspective, Syracuse quarterback Steve Angelli had 1,317 yards and 10 touchdowns in just four games). However, despite a poor start to the season, Lopez did finish better going 2-4 in his last six games and throwing for at least 200 yards in five straight without throwing an interception during his final 124 pass attempts, though he did take 13 sacks during that period.
With Lopez’s departure, the quarterback room becomes even thinner as Lopez becomes the third quarterback to transfer from the Tar Heels this season joining super senior Max Johnson and redshirted freshman Bryce Baker.
New offensive coordinator, Bobby Petrino (who still hasn’t officially been named by the way), currently has only three healthy signal callers in the previously mentioned Edwards Jr., as well as redshirt freshman Au’Tori Newkirk and incoming freshman Travis Burgess. Edwards immediately becomes the favorite to start, though there will surely be yet another quarterback competition between all the players who end up on the roster.
This is just another change for head coach Bill Belichick as he enters his second season. Since the season ended in a 23 point loss to NC State, the Tar Heels have fired two coordinators, lost multiple players to the portal, and brought in 40 new freshman. What’s next for this new regime? Tomorrow is only a day away.
