Breaking: Devin Leary will miss remainder of season
NC State fifth-year redshirt junior quarterback Devin Leary will miss the remainder of the 2022 football season. The school confirmed that Leary will undergo surgery after further testing images revealed the need for the procedure, which will be performed by Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Fla., next week.
NC State noted that Leary did not sustain damage to his throwing shoulder.
X-rays were negative and the initial results reported by Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren from Leary’s MRI indicated that he could rehab his way back this year.
However, a further evaluation revealed the worst case scenario for Leary. This is the second time in three years that Leary has sustained a season-ending injury. Two years ago, Leary broke his leg while sliding against Duke and missed the final seven games, including the Gator Bowl. NC State went 4-3 in Leary’s absence that year with Bailey Hockman filling in as the starter.
Leary was the 2022 ACC Preseason Player of the Year after a banner 2021 campaign in which he led the Wolfpack to a 9-3 season by throwing for a school-record 35 touchdowns while only tossing 5 picks. He had a 65.7 percent completion rate for 3,433 yards.
He was not as prolific this season through the midway point but still effective. He had completed 118 of 193 passes (61.1 percent) for 1,265 yards and 11 scores with 4 interceptions. He had also rushed for 3 touchdowns.
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Leary was injured when he was hit while throwing during the second half of last week’s 19-17 win over Florida State. Former Charleston Southern all-conference performer and senior walk-on transfer addition Jack Chambers filled in for Leary, officially attempting just 1 pass that was incomplete while rushing for 39 yards on 7 carries.
Chambers is expected to get the first chance to fill Leary’s shoes, starting Saturday at No. 18 Syracuse. He was 230-of-417 passing for 2,490 yards and 17 TDs with 10 picks and added 477 yards rushing and an additional 7 scores last season at Charleston Southern. He was named second-team All-Big South after finishing 13th in the FCS in passing yards per game (249.5) and 18th in completion percentage (63.3 percent).
Other quarterback options after Devin Leary and Chambers on the roster include touted true freshman MJ Morris and third-year redshirt freshman Ben Finley. Morris was 2-of-4 passing for 38 yards and ran twice for 10 yards during a lopsided win over Charleston Southern in Week 2. As an On3 Consensus three-star signing, the Carrollton, Ga., native chose the Pack over nearby Georgia Tech and also Nebraska.
Finley, who served as Leary’s backup last season, had fallen down the depth chart and has been working with the scout team after the additions of Chambers and Morris. He has played in 5 games in his career and is 18-of-29 passing for 171 yards and a touchdown with 1 interception.
