Ex-UNC quarterback describes program as feeling 'like there's no air'

Former North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez had critical words for the Bill Belichick-run program in a recent interview after he transferred from the Tar Heels to Wake Forest.

Lopez transferred to North Carolina before the 2025 season from South Alabama. He played in 11 games for the Tar Heels and had 1,747 passing yards and 10 touchdown passes. North Carolina was 4-8 in Belichick’s first season at the helm.

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The former Tar Heels quarterback has been critical of his time in North Carolina, and spoke out again in an interview with ESPN late last month.

"Back at the other school, it felt like there's no air," he told the outlet. "Here, it's fun again. They're moving us in the right direction, energized, and guys are enjoying football. It's like fresh air. I'd never had to respond to tough situations like that on that loud of a scale."

Belichick spent 24 seasons as the head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots and guided the team to six Super Bowl titles. After leaving the Patriots, Belichick took the Tar Heels’ job and brought his NFL experience and professionalism to North Carolina.

Lopez said being at North Carolina felt "more like work."

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"After that first game, it felt like getting through the day. You don't want to live like that, where you're up at night thinking about the next day," he said.

Barney Lopez, Gio’s father, also criticized the way the program was run.

"The situation there -- I'm not a Super Bowl champion, so I don't know, but I don't think it was handled in the best way for college football, for students and players," he told ESPN. "It set my son backwards."

Lopez is now on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He and redshirt freshman Steele Pizzella are listed on the depth chart.

The Jake Dickert-led program was 9-4 in 2025 and won the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Rob Ezell is the team’s offensive coordinator.

Wake Forest will open the season on Sept. 3 against the Akron Zips.

North Carolina’s general manager Mike Lomdardi defended Belichick from detractors in March.

"All during those stormy times, all during when the boat was getting capsized, when people were attacking us with fake rumors and fake stories all over — nobody’s corrected them yet, but that’s OK, we understand — our players hung together," Lombardi told the "Pat McAfee Show" last month.