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Former North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez had critical remarks about the Bill Belichick-led program in a recent interview following his trade from the Tar Heels to Wake Forest.
Lopez transferred to North Carolina ahead of the 2025 season from South Alabama. He played in 11 games for the Tar Heels and totaled 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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North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on November 22, 2025. (William Howard/Imagn Images)
The former Tar Heels quarterback criticized his time in North Carolina and spoke out again in an interview with ESPN late last month.
“Back at the other school, it was like there was no air,” he told the outlet. “Here it’s fun again. They’re moving us in the right direction, they’re full of energy and the guys love football. It’s like fresh air. I’ve never had to react to such difficult situations on such a scale.”
Belichick spent 24 seasons as 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 in North Carolina felt “more like work.”
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North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez looks to pass during the second quarter at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on November 8, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“After that first game, I felt like I was done for the day. You don’t want to live like that, where you spend the 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 the students and the players,” he told ESPN. “It set my son back.”
Lopez is now part of 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 Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Rob Ezell is the team’s offensive coordinator.
Wake Forest will open the season on September 3 against the Akron Zips.
Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels watches the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California on October 17, 2025. (Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)
North Carolina general manager Mike Lomdardi defended Belichick against his detractors in March.
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“Throughout these stormy times, while the boat was capsizing, when people were attacking us with false rumors and false stories – no one has corrected them yet, but that’s OK, we understand – our players stood their ground,” Lombardi said on the “Pat McAfee Show” last month.
