Devin Leary takes accountability for recent struggles

Devin Leary isn’t dodging blame. After an underwhelming performance in Kentucky’s 51-13 loss to Georgia, the UK quarterback gave himself a brutally honest assessment.

“Those throws need to be made, those completions need to be made, especially in games like that,” Leary said on Wednesday. “I put a lot on myself. I’m my biggest critic and I always tell the offense that it starts with me. It starts with how I’m managing the game, how I’m operating the offense.

“Honestly, there’s no excuse for it to be one step off or one yard away from a catch. It’s my job to give those guys a chance and make sure that we can make plays and that just didn’t happen on Saturday in some instances. So I just got to be better.”

After a solid start in his first three games this season, Leary has stalled in Kentucky’s last two contests. In the Wildcats’ win over Florida, Leary completed 9-of-his-19 attempts for just 69 passing yards and a touchdown. He did not record a rushing yard in the victory.

Leary followed up the lackluster performance with a subpar encore. The NC State transfer only completed 38.5% of his passes in Kentucky’s loss against Georgia, finishing with 128 yards and two touchdowns.

Devin Leary faces the music

Although Leary did not throw an interception in either outing, he wasn’t exactly on point. Often, Leary’s throws were just out of reach or a second late. The fifth-year senior knows what he must do to get back on track.

“Honestly, just making the layups. Making the easy throws,” Leary said. “Getting back to the way I’ve always played. Just doing what you practice to do. Do what you’re coached to do. For me, it’s just take it one play at a time, take a deep breath before the play and just execute.”

Leary should have an opportunity to execute this weekend. On Saturday, Kentucky will square off against Missouri. The Tigers’ defense gives up 245.2 yards per outing, ranking No. 92 in the country. Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen knows all it takes is one spark for a QB to catch fire.

“Maybe it just takes a play, maybe it takes a game for us to click,” Coen said. “It needs to click, we want it to click, we’re working on it to click, it just hasn’t yet. There’s been moments. But hopefully here soon, one of those games, one of those moments one of those plays allows us to start to click on all cylinders.”

UK will square off against Missouri at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network.