While we’re still over two months away from the start of college football season, we are starting to get into preparation season. One of the events of the summers months that has gained increasing prominence in recent years is the Manning Passing Academy, and this year, the North Carolina Tar Heels will be represented. Quarterbacks Max Johnson and Gio Lopez will both get to show their stuff at the annual gathering of some of the best QBs in the college game.

The Manning Passing Academy is a camp put on by, as you might be able to deduce, the Manning family, which includes NFL greats Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning. Every year, they invite many of the top college quarterbacks to the camp, which is held on the campus of Nicholls State in Thibodaux, LA. Officially, the quarterbacks work as counselors, who in turn work with high school players.

Unofficially though, this is a chance to work with not only the Mannings but other top quarterbacks from around the college game. Among the other quarterbacks who will be there this year include Penn State’s Drew Allar, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, and, yes, Texas’ Arch Manning.

Having transferred in from South Alabama, Lopez seems to be in the driver’s seat to be UNC’s starting quarterback for the new season. Last year, Lopez threw for 18 touchdowns and 2,559 yards.

Johnson was Carolina’s initial starter last year before suffering a broken leg in the season opener against Minnesota, causing him to miss the rest of the season. He is still currently on the UNC roster, but doesn’t seem likely to factor into the QB conversation, between Lopez and up-and-coming freshman Bryce Baker.

The most recent Tar Heel quarterback to served as a counselor at the camp was Drake Maye in 2023. That being said, both Lopez and Johnson have been there before, while at their respective previous stops of South Alabama and Texas A&M.

This has been quite the turbulent offseason for UNC football since they wrapped up the 2024 regular season against NC State. From the firing of Mack Brown, to the hiring of Bill Belicheck, to the…everything…that’s come from that, there’s been quite a lot of news surrounding the Tar Heels. However, sending two of your quarterbacks to work with some of the best to ever play the position is unambiguously pretty good, so best of luck to Gio and Max.