By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today
Coach Mark Stoops isn’t worried about his team’s projected starting quarterback next season.
Devin Leary, a North Carolina State transfer, has experience and has played in 30 games at the collegiate level. Leary threw for 6,807 yards, 62 touchdowns and just 16 interceptions during his four seasons with the Wolfpack. Stoops and his staff got a good look at Leary during spring workouts and came away impressed with the preliminary results.
“I think he’s a very natural leader,” Stoops said. “He’s trying not to force it. He’s trying to earn the respect of his team and just get out there and make sure he masters his craft in his backyard at this point.”
Stoops likes the way Leary conducts himself on the field, but also said his ability to lead on and off the field stands out.
“He definitely has some leadership skills,” Stoops said. “He does a lot of things behind the scenes and he doesn’t have to be vocal. He spends an awful lot of time with the wideouts, the wide receivers, the running backs, watching film, spending time with them. So, he’s doing a lot extra.”
During spring workouts, Leary has gotten to know Liam Cohen, who is beginning the first season of his second stint with the Wildcats. Both player and coach have been on the same page from Day 1.
“That’s easy, really easy for them,” Stoops said. “They’re both guys that are junkies, that are up there watching film. Devin is a very bright guy, he’s been around. That’s a very easy transition.”
During an open practice during spring drills, which was the team’s only practice open to the fans, finishing drives has been the point of emphasis for Coen and the offensive staff to conclude spring workouts.
“It was good to see us move the football,” he said. “It was deflating to see us not finish. … There was just too many opportunities that, if you go back and look at the film, there’s too many times that all 11 aren’t truly doing exactly what they’re supposed to do. It’s eight or nine guys, then there’s those two or three that might make a mistake, well that’s really important.”
On the defensive side of the ball, coordinator Brad White has spent most of the spring working on being consistent, especially when it comes to tackling.
“Tackling is something we do every day, even in the fall,” White said. “It’s such a vital part. We actually had a big meeting on it as a defense. (Tackling) is something that, unless there’s an incomplete pass or somebody goes out of bounds, you’re going to have to tackle on every single down.”
White thinks the Wildcats have taken the right approach during spring workouts.
“I think they’re approaching the drill work correctly,” White said. “There’s an intentionality in terms of how they’re approaching each tackles circuit we do on a daily basis. I think they’re doing a decent job of finishing during team drills.”