Lopez Says Belichick has “Aura” originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Bill Belichick era continues for the North Carolina Tar Heels. While we haven’t yet seen the legendary coach on the sidelines for a game or even a fall practice, he’s already making headlines.
Belichick, who took a year off from coaching after his long run with the New England Patriots, is excited to be back on the gridiron, this time working with younger athletes.
ACC Media Day took place this week, and although Belichick drew the biggest media crowd of the day, the more interesting quote came from one of his players.
Quarterback Gio Lopez was asked what it’s like to have Belichick in the room during team meetings. His response was bold.
“I guess, you say like, a little funny now that people say, like the aura when he walks in,” Lopez answered.
“The aura when he walks in.” 😂@UNCFootball QB Gio Lopez on what it’s like in the team meeting room with Bill Belichick. pic.twitter.com/cAYOslzy0V
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) July 24, 2025
Lopez later explained that everyone stops when Belichick enters the room, and players now show up early for meetings just to be there when he arrives.
This will be Lopez’s third season in college football but his first in Chapel Hill. Last year, at South Alabama, he completed 206-of-312 passes for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns, with just five interceptions. His final game came against Texas State, where he threw for 190 yards in a 45-38 loss.
North Carolina finished 6-7 last season. On November 26, the university announced that it would be the final year for longtime head coach Mack Brown. The Tar Heels dropped their last three games, including a 27-14 loss to UConn in the Fenway Bowl.
Belichick, now stepping into the college spotlight, brings a resume unmatched in NFL history. He’s won six Super Bowl titles as a head coach and two more as an assistant, both league records. He’s also tied for the most playoff appearances by a head coach with 19. However, his final four seasons with the Patriots were rough, missing the playoffs three times and finishing with a 29-38 record.
North Carolina opens its season on September 1 against the TCU Horned Frogs.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.