North Carolina will start South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez at quarterback against TCU on Monday in Bill Belichick’s college coaching debut.
Belichick announced that Lopez would start during a news conference Wednesday. The Tar Heels secured Lopez’s commitment after spring drills and he joined formal team workouts in preseason camp as the expected front-runner for the job.
Belichick — who led the NFL’s New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles as a head coach — said Lopez had “made a ton of progress” and would get the majority of practice reps leading up to a college version of Monday Night Football against the Horned Frogs.