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Former Bill Belichick QB earns fourth starting job in seventh college season
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- Former Bill Belichick QB earns fourth starting job in seventh college season
UNC
You can add quarterbacks to the list of professions for people who attend college for seven years .
Max Johnson , the son of Buccaneers Super Bowl champion Brad Johnson , has been named the Georgia Southern quarterback, marking the fourth school for which he has become the starter.
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He transferred to Georgia Southern after starting one game and appear in four for Bill Belichick's first North Carolina squad.
North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Max Johnson warms up prior to a game against the Syracuse Orange on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Johnson's winding road to helm his fourth team comes at a time when there are widespread questions about eligibility and how many years players can spend in college.
The 25-year-old has dealt with injuries that have shortened seasons yet prolonged his eligibility.
He joined LSU for the 2020 season as a four-star recruit out of Georgia and started two of his six games that year and then started 12 games in the 2021 season.
That 2021 campaign is the best of his career, with Johnson throwing for 27 touchdowns compared to six interceptions and tallying 2,814 passing yards.
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He then headed west to join Texas A&M before suffering an injury after four games that allowed him to redshirt.
The 2024 season saw Johnson appear in eight games with five starts, although he would again miss four games due to an injury.
LSU Tigers quarterback Max Johnson (14) throws a pass during a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Nov. 27, 2021. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Johnson then headed to North Carolina to play for then-coach Mack Brown in 2024, but he suffered a season-ending injury in the opener that allowed him to receive a medical hardship wavier.
He needed five surgeries after suffering a broken femur.
Belichick's first season in Chapel Hill last year coincided with Johnson's return, and he started one game before leaving for Georgia Southern in January.
Max Johnson #14 of the Texas A&M Aggies reacts during the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, on Nov. 4, 2023. Getty Images
For his career, Johnson has appeared in just 35 games across six seasons.
He has thrown 49 touchdowns and notched 6,355 passing yards in his career.
Georgia Southern opens its season Sept. 5 against Charleston Southern.
