With the Tar Heels in pursuit of South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez, another shift is underway in the quarterback room—Connor Browne is heading for the exit.
Lopez, a rising talent who showed flashes of dual-threat potential at South Alabama, has emerged as a top transfer target for North Carolina. The coaching staff is actively looking to retool the quarterback depth chart after a season of inconsistency and looming uncertainty. With the departure of Drake Maye to the NFL and shifting dynamics in the locker room, Lopez’s skill set is an intriguing fit for the system being implemented in Chapel Hill.
Lopez completed 64% of his passes in 2024, throwing for just over 1,900 yards with 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, while adding over 400 rushing yards. His combination of poise, mobility, and decision-making has drawn interest from several Power Five programs, but UNC is making a strong push to land him. The staff views him as someone who could compete for the starting job immediately—or, at the very least, elevate the room’s competitiveness heading into fall camp.
Meanwhile, Browne’s decision to enter the transfer portal comes as little surprise. With Lopez now firmly on UNC’s radar, and with other quarterbacks already entrenched or emerging within the program, the window for meaningful playing time was narrowing. Browne, a former walk-on who worked his way up the depth chart, saw limited action in his time at Carolina but was known inside the locker room as a steady presence and hard worker. His departure signals another domino falling as the Tar Heels continue their offseason retooling.
The quarterback carousel in Chapel Hill is far from over. UNC’s staff remains aggressive in the portal, not just with Lopez but with evaluating other potential options, depending on how the recruitment plays out. For Mack Brown and his offensive staff, the goal is clear: find a leader who can steady the ship and thrive in a system that demands both precision and improvisation.
As for Browne, he’ll now explore opportunities to find a fresh start—likely one that offers a clearer path to snaps. And for UNC, all eyes turn to Lopez as the next potential answer under center.
