Devin Leary says he's healthy, 'very excited' for 2023 season

At the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La., this weekend, new Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary, now healthy again, has gotten a chance to show off his arm.

Leary suffered a torn pectoral muscle on his throwing side on Oct. 8, sidelining him for the season at NC State. He opted to transfer after the season, seeking a fresh start elsewhere.

“I feel great. I feel great,” Leary told On3’s Shea Dixon. “I’m 100% right now and just ready to play football again, honestly.”

The projected starter at quarterback at Kentucky following the departure of first-round NFL Draft pick Will Levis, a healthy Devin Leary put up incredibly impressive numbers at NC State in 2021.

He finished the year with 3,433 yards passing, with 35 touchdowns against just five interceptions.

If he can put up even close to those kind of numbers, Kentucky could be a threat to get to the 10-win mark again. They’ve done it twice under coach Mark Stoops‘ direction, doing so in 2018 and 2021.

Leary is just excited to be playing again.

“Very excited. Obviously made a decision to transfer in January, and my biggest thing is just getting back to the grind,” Leary said. “Recovered from my injury, feeling really well, but all in all just trying to prove to my teammates through my hard work how much this game means to me and that we can make really big strides this year.”

Kentucky has done a nice job upgrading the overall talent level of its roster under Stoops, and a healthy Devin Leary might just push it over the top. There will be plenty of competition, though.

Georgia is the two-time defending national champion with a pretty soft schedule, while Tennessee is coming off a terrific 2022 season as well.

For Leary, simply being healthy is a blessing. He’s ready to take full advantage again with the injury in the past.

“I think it just is a part of my story, honestly. I’ve been through multiple different injuries but I’m going to continue to battle through adversity, continue to be resilient,” Leary said. “That’s just who I am. That’s the type of player I am. This year is just not taking anything for granted. I love this sport, I love all the little things that come with it, and when they get taken away from you sometimes you don’t realize how good you have it.”

The Manning Passing Academy is held annually at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. It is run by the Manning family, with Archie Manning serving as the executive director and Peyton, Eli and Cooper Manning serving as senior associate directors.

The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon contributed to this report.