Some clarity has emerged in regards to UNC's plan at QB for Clemson matchup

Leading up to Saturday afternoon's ACC opener against Clemson, the major question surrounding the UNC football program has been who will be under center to lead the offensive unit.

As game time draws near, we're starting to get more clarity with regards to North Carolina's intentions.

Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported on Friday morning that all signs are trending toward veteran Max Johnson starting at quarterback on Saturday afternoon. If this stands true, it will be Johnson's first start since the 2024 season opener against Minnesota.

Gio Lopez, the team's starting quarterback, suffered a lower-body injury two weeks ago against UCF, one that forced him to leave a game early for the second time this season. In both instances, Johnson was in relief, providing some bright spots for the Tar Heels' offensive unit.

This decision shouldn't have been a difficult one for Bill Belichick and company, especially considering that Lopez has been very limited in practice. His very limited participation on Thursday was a sign that this outcome was expected to occur.

With two weeks of first-team reps under his belt, it doesn't hurt to give Johnson a shot, especially given the struggles that Lopez has experienced early on in his UNC football career.

This also makes a ton of sense to give Lopez more time to heal. With bye weeks sandwiching the Clemson meeting, Lopez would essentially have four weeks to get as close to full strength as possible before the UNC football program heads to California on October 17 for a late-night West Coast clash.

Now, Johnson appears to be in line to earn that opportunity to start, one that he's been craving since suffering a gruesome season-ending injury in the 2024 season opener. He'll have the opportunity to compete, as this could be an open audition for him to officially take over the starting quarterback job for the remainder of the season.