Devin Leary put playmaking arsenal on display in Week 3 win

NC State quarterback transfer Devin Leary generated a ton of hype in the preseason. The former star quarterback in the ACC has posted some big career numbers when healthy. Expectations in Lexington were very high for the former four-star recruit out of New Jersey. After slow first-half starts in the first half, Leary flashed his potential win double-digit wins over Ball State and Eastern Kentucky.

In a 35-3 win over Akron on Saturday night, the super senior put his full playmaking arsenal on display with some big-time throws and some next-level off-script playmaking.

KSR’s 3 Plays is taking a closer look at some of Leary’s biggest highlights of the night after the quarterback just put together his best performance in a Kentucky uniform by throwing for 315 yards and three touchdowns and over 12 yards per attempt.

Devin Leary saves Kentucky from disaster

Holding onto a 7-0 lead with just over five minutes to play in the second quarter, Kentucky started a drive at their own 30. The first play of the drive resulted in the only sack that Devin Leary took all night. However, Kentucky got rolling after that.

A pair of 20-plus yard completions helped set up a first-and-goal on the Akron 7. Unfortunately, a bad Jager Burton snap led to a second-and-goal at the 28. After a six-yard completion, Leary would deliver a beautiful pass to Tayvion Robinson on third-and-goal from the Akron 22.

On the slot fade, Leary rewards Robinson’s great route with a beautifully placed ball put right on the defender’s helmet. The former Virginia Tech transfer high points the football to record his third receiving touchdown on the season.

A beautiful throw saved a red zone possession and gave the Wildcats a two-possession lead that would not be lost for the duration of the game.

Devin Leary’s off-script playmaking can flip a game

The next play we’re going to look at did not go down as an official play due to a holding call against Jager Burton. However, this is a play that defensive coordinators should be showing their defenses during Kentucky game prep for the rest of the season.

Facing a second-and-10 at the Kentucky 36, Devin Leary escapes the pocket and delivers a beautiful throw to a wide open Anthony Brown-Stephens down the left sideline.

Leary wants to beat defenses by making throws from the pocket. However, the veteran quarterback is athletic enough to escape the pocket and extend plays with his legs. When Leary does that, he is still looking to throw. The quarterback delivered a beautiful ball on the run in one of the best plays of the night.

The off-script playmaking we saw in Week 3 could win Kentucky a close game down the road.

Play extension leads to an incredible touchdown

Speaking of making things happen off-script, the 58-yard touchdown that Kentucky scored in the third quarter was a play we’ve seen nobody make since Jared Lorenzen was suiting up for the Wildcats.

Devin Leary’s play strength extends the third-and-long play, and his accuracy gives Ray Davis a run-after-catch opportunity. The redshirt senior tailback does the rest.

58 YARDS! 🏃‍♂️💨@UKFootball x 📺 ESPNU pic.twitter.com/5I2bmKBVhI

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) September 17, 2023

Devin Leary flashed big-time accuracy, showed a secondary reaction skill set, and proved that a play is never really over as long as he has the ball in his hands. Kentucky might have a star at quarterback in a year where everyone seems beatable in college football.