Bill Belichick's new QB's comments should have UNC fans fired up

Bill Belichick came into a UNC program without a lot of established talent, especially at the quarterback position. After Drake Maye's exit to the NFL in the 2024 NFL draft, the program cycled through several uninspiring quarterbacks. That was going to be a glaring hole for Belichick's newest coaching gig. 

Quickly, though, the legendary coach picked out Gio Lopez, a transfer from South Alabama. Even when they considered John Mateer and Jaden Rashada, Belichick decided on Lopez. And if there's a coach out there who knows how to spot unheralded but really good QBs, it's Belichick. 

And under Belichick, Lopez is oozing confidence. He believes the Tar Heels, who are getting a little overlooked given the turnover in the program, are poised to be good. He said via CBS Sports, "I just feel like we can win a lot of games here. We get told not to promise anything. I'm not going to be the person to go against that. But I think we can win a lot of ball games, and I think we have a really good shot at being a really good program." 

Of course, being chosen specifically out of a large pool of possible QBs has to infuse Lopez with confidence, especially when the chooser is one of the most successful coaches of all time. "He's one of the greatest coaches of all time, if not the greatest," Lopez added. "So, you know, being handpicked by him to be his quarterback is special. I want to live up to that."

This should all inspire UNC fans who are maybe desperate for the football program to either return to the Drake Maye-level of success or even see more. The hire of Belichick was controversial, but it was done with the idea that he could give them a high ceiling. That may not happen in 2025, but he seems to really like Lopez, so maybe it will.