Bill Belechick’s North Carolina Tar Heels have named Gio Lopez as the starting quarterback. Lopez beat out Max Johnson for the role. He joins the Tar Heels after two years with South Alabama, having earned recognition as a three-star recruit. The safety turned quarterback Lopez attributes all his success to his parents and their relentless support and belief in his potential.
How Gio Lopez’s Parents Helped Him Succeed
Growing up in Madison, Alabama, Lopez’s first love was baseball. That love eventually shifted toward the gridiron, but not to the quarterback position. In fact, it was his father, Barney, who convinced him to try the signal caller position.
“I had to force him to play quarterback, he didn’t want to play quarterback,” said Barney. “And I said, ‘Listen. You need to give it a try, see what you can do, help your team out.”
Gio grew up watching his father, Barney, race his four-wheelers, drag cars, and mud trucks. However, he did not gravitate toward getting behind the wheel. He did have a thing once to be part of a pit crew, though.
That all changed when he discovered football.
Gip Lopez’s Journey To North Carolina
Lopez’s switch from safety to quarterback position has paid off. But it wasn’t out of sheer luck. He put in the work to master one of the most demanding positions in the sports world. Now, with UNC, the South Alabama transfer has settled in at North Carolina and claimed the starting job.
That journey began in Lopez’s family’s backyard with no professional trainer and fancy equipment. It was just Gio and his father, Barney, working tirelessly to recreate drills they found online, using just nets and tires. The long night backyard practice, rolling tires across the yard, has paid off.
Lopez Expresses Graditude
Lopez was named the starter for UNC’s matchup with TCU. He expressed both gratitude for the opportunity and an awareness of the moment’s significance. In a recent press briefing, he stated,
“I’m super thankful for the opportunity. Coach told me a little bit before, but nothing too crazy before. Just told me, [I] look good during the fall camp and told me that I’m going to hit the reins of the offense and just thank for the opportunity. Kind of again talking to my dad, it’s like, man, like want to be Coach Belichick’s first starting quarterback in college. It’s a great opportunity.”
Gio Lopez
