The North Carolina football program is heading in a new direction under Bill Belichick, and among his first major moves could reshape the Tar Heels’ offense. As Jacolby Criswell heads to East Tennessee State, South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez arrives in Chapel Hill, bringing numbers that have UNC fans buzzing about the quarterback situation after last season’s disappointing 6-7 finish.
Breaking Down Criswell vs. Lopez as QB1 Stakes Rise
If you watched North Carolina last season, you saw Criswell step in after Max Johnson went down in the opener. Criswell wasn’t bad; he threw for 2,459 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions across 12 starts.
But his 58.1% completion rate and a 59.0 QBR, which ranked 66th nationally, left room for improvement. On the ground, he added just 103 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 71 carries, falling short of true dual-threat status.
Now look at what Lopez did at South Alabama. The redshirt freshman completed 66% of his passes for 2,559 yards, with 18 touchdowns to only five interceptions in 11 games. His QBR of 72.3 would have ranked significantly higher nationally. But Lopez really separated himself with his legs, adding 463 rushing yards and seven scores, firmly establishing himself as a true dual-threat quarterback.
After announcing his move to UNC, Lopez kept it simple on social media: “Grateful and excited for the next chapter. Go Heels!”
A New Era Under Belichick
With Criswell gone and questions surrounding Johnson’s recovery, Lopez steps into a quarterback room that badly needed a fresh face. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he offers the ideal blend of size, arm strength and mobility that modern college offenses thrive on.
Last season, Lopez averaged 233 passing yards per game while helping lead a South Alabama offense that averaged 6.8 yards per play. Those are strong numbers in the Sun Belt—and they project well to the ACC.
What makes Lopez especially intriguing is how well his skill set fits with North Carolina’s offensive needs. His ability to extend plays and pick up yardage on the ground adds a dynamic layer to the playbook that Criswell couldn’t provide. For a team that struggled with offensive consistency in 2024, Lopez offers hope for a more versatile, unpredictable attack.
As Belichick begins his college coaching chapter, landing a quarterback with Lopez’s upside—and three years of eligibility remaining—feels like a statement. The legendary coach knows what he’s looking for in a quarterback, and in Lopez, he appears to have found someone who can bring that vision to life.
KEEP READING: Gio Lopez Stats and NIL Value Drive South Alabama QB to UNC
For Tar Heels fans hoping for a turnaround, the quarterback position suddenly feels more like a strength than a question mark.
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