There’s a strong possibility that Max Johnson will get the nod as North Carolina’s starting quarterback this week against Clemson—and potentially beyond, depending on how things play out.
Gio Lopez, who has opened the first four games for the Tar Heels, has been limited in practice due to injury. He remains listed as the starter on the official depth chart, but as anyone familiar with Bill Belichick’s methods knows, that designation doesn’t carry much weight.
For what it’s worth (likely not much), Lopez is also listed as the starter on UNC’s unofficial depth chart in the game notes ahead of Clemson.
— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph), October 1, 2025
Statistically, Lopez has struggled. Through four games, he’s completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 430 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. His 16.3 QBR ranks near the bottom nationally, and that figure is buoyed by his outings against Charlotte and Richmond. Against Power Four competition, Lopez’s numbers place him among the worst quarterbacks in college football.
Not everyone expected it to go this way. NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay, who scouted Lopez at the Manning Passing Academy over the summer, believed the sophomore had the tools to be a difference-maker for UNC. McShay even singled him out during an appearance on the God Bless Football podcast with Jon “Stugotz” Weiner, saying Lopez impressed him in the offseason. So far, however, that promise hasn’t carried over into the fall.
“It might have something to do with the people around him,” McShay explained. “Yes, I did praise him, and there were plenty of throws worth praising. But let’s remember—we were in shorts and T-shirts. I’m trying to keep it in perspective. He was making throws that some of the other guys simply couldn’t make. I think Bill Belichick knows what a good quarterback looks like, and I think the UNC staff saw him at a smaller level and thought, ‘We’ve got a chance with this guy.’”
McShay also pointed to broader issues at North Carolina that go beyond quarterback play.
“The roster-building process hasn’t helped at all,” he said. “You bring in 70 new faces—that’s a nightmare. And then you’ve got Jordon [Hudson] on the sidelines drawing all this negative attention. It’s been hard to watch.”
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