A member of UNC's quarterback room will enter the transfer portal

Given how the 2025 season went for the UNC Football program, and the rather large incoming freshman class, it is most certainly expected that there will be several current Tar Heels entering the transfer portal, either due to lack of playing time in 2025 or limited projected playing time in 2026.

We've already seen several notable players take to social media to announce their plans to leave Chapel Hill and look for a future home in 2026. On Friday afternoon, InsideCarolina released breaking news first reported by Pete Nakos with On3Sports, that the Tar Heels would see their first quarterback enter the portal.

Max Johnson, a transfer from LSU and Texas A&M, announced he would be entering the transfer portal. This isn't much of a surprise for Tar Heel fans who follow the program closely, as throughout the entirety of the 2025 season, we saw Johnson sit behind a struggling Gio Lopez at the quarterback position.

Johnson pretty much only saw playing time when Lopez was dealing with an injury (or in games in which the contest had already been decided), and as a result, probably means that he can see the writing on the wall that he won't get his chance to shine in 2026 either.

It was a difficult two seasons in Chapel Hill for Johnson, as his first season in Carolina blue lasted just under three quarters of action as he suffered a gruesome leg injury at Minnesota that included a broken femur and a total of five (yes, five) surgeries. We wish Max the best of luck wherever he lands, and given his college experience, we know he will be a valuable asset to any program that brings him into their quarterback room.

According to Andrew Jones with 247Sports, Johnson will have to apply to the NCAA for a hardship waiver to get his 2024 season of eligibility back and to be eligible for the 2026 college football season.

The UNC Football quarterback room is one of several questions that North Carolina will have to answer this offseason, and with Johnson entering the portal, that means one less player in the competition, for now.

Something to watch over the next several days will be to see if any other quarterbacks plan to leave as well. Lopez? Freshman Bryce Baker, who didn't see any playing time in 2025?

Keep in mind also, that just because a player is entering the portal may not be by their own decision. Per the Inside Carolina report, GM Michael Lombardi addressed this by saying the following:

"“December, we’re not allowed to go anywhere (due to NCAA rules) so we have to stay in. So we’ll work mostly on our team,” UNC general manager Mike Lombardi said recently. “We’ll have conversations with every single player on our roster, telling them about their future."

Michael Lombardi

So if the UNC Football staff doesn't think a player will have an impact, that player is likely to enter the portal to find a future home.