Who could've seen Bill Belichick's tenure at North Carolina being such a disaster?
Well, other than everyone outside of Chapel Hill.
But you couldn't tell fans of the Tar Heels that when Belichick was announced as the coach. They were convinced they'd just hit a home run when they really fouled out to the catcher. There's just nothing you can do for folks who are that disillusioned.
Belichick's first season was a predictable calamity. UNC went 4-8, and the majority of the focus continued to be off the field with Belichick, his 25-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, and her odd influence over him and the program.
Things have not gone well.
That makes the recent comments made by Gio Lopez, the first QB to start for Belichick last season in Chapel Hill, so unsurprising. Lopez ran for the Transfer Portal just as soon as he could following the season, ultimately landing at Wake Forest.
"Back at the other school, it felt like there's no air," Lopez told ESPN's David Hale. "Here, it's fun again. They're moving us in the right direction, energized, and guys are enjoying football. It's like fresh air."
Gio Lopez criticizes Bill Belichick, North Carolina in revealing interview with ESPN
UNC fans have been quick to criticize Lopez for his poor performance as the team's quarterback last season instead of actually listening to what he and his father said to ESPN in the interview. There's always a bit of sour grapes that come when players transfer away from a school where things didn't go as planned, but let's be real here, Carolina fans: do you actually, in your heart of hearts, think Belichick is handling things well in Chapel Hill?
You can be honest. This is a safe space.
"It was more like work," Lopez said. "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."
Lopez's father was even more critical of the program at UNC, saying he believed it "set this son backwards," and nothing they were told or promised was how things played out.
Lopez, a dual-threat quarterback who was known for his improvisation skills at South Alabama, always seemed like an odd fit for Belichick, who has clearly always preferred the more pro-style passers.
Trying to force Lopez to be someone he wasn't was just one of a laundry list of mistakes made by Belichick in year one. It'll be comical watching that list continue to grow in year two.
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