Devin Leary, Point Guard of Liam Coen's Offense, Meets the BBN at KSBar and Grille

For the second straight Saturday, Devin Leary spent his afternoon getting acquainted with the BBN. Like The 15 Club Fan Fest, Kentucky fans showed up in full force at KSBar and Grille to meet the Wildcats’ new quarterback.

“I enjoyed every moment of it, and it just shows how passionate these fans are. I loved it. Just about every person in line was able to come up, meet me, sign some autographs, it was great,” he told Matt Jones on the KSR Pregame Show.

“It’s been awesome. You get a true feel for how much these fans care and also, being able for them to meet me from a personal side, being able to see my personality and what I’m like with my helmet off. And I think that’s the coolest thing, being able to interact with all of these fans and not only show me, but all of my teammates too, how much we really care and let them know that every time we step on that field, we leave it all on the line for them.”

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Why Devin Leary Chose Kentucky

Since arriving in Lexington this spring, the former N.C. State quarterback has conducted multiple interviews explaining why he chose Kentucky. There were many reasons, but the biggest difference-maker was Mark Stoops.

“The first thing for me was really Coach Stoops. He broke it down to me and said, ‘Look, there’s no other place in the country that I know of that can prepare you to get to the next level. We know how great of a player we can make you right now.’ I trusted him with everything,” Devin Leary said.

“When I first got on campus, being around guys like Eli Cox and Dane Key, they kept it straight forward with me, telling me Coach Stoops was a players’ guy. Ever since I got here, that’s been 100 percent true. I couldn’t have made a better decision.”

It also helped that Mark Stoops brought back Liam Coen, who also happened to be at KSBar Saturday afternoon prior to tip-off between the Cats and the Gators.

“I trust Coach Coen,” said Leary. “He’s a brilliant guy, but at the same time he’s very personable, very relatable and I just can’t wait to play for a coach like him.”

Devin Leary Likens Himself to a Point Guard

Coaching wasn’t the only thing that drew Devin Leary to Kentucky. He has a host of talented young weapons to throw to this fall. Dane Key and Barion Brown receive most of the attention, but Tayvion Robinson is returning along with a couple of tight ends who had outstanding debuts in 2022, Jordan Dingle and Josh Kattus.

“It’s my job to be a point guard, just distribute the ball, let those guys make my job so much easier. Like you said, as long as I can get the ball in their hands and let the playmakers make plays, that makes our offense operate that much better. Now with Coach Coen here we’re going to be able to sign up for all those guys to get the ball.” Leary added, “It’s up for me to operate at a high level, protect the football and just get it in their hands.”

While there are plenty of proven pass catchers, Kentucky is looking for a consistent running back to fill the void left by Chris Rodriguez. The Wildcats’ quarterback believes the next man up is ready to embrace that responsibility.

“Ray Davis, that’s my guy. Ever since he got here, we both made it a point to come in, drill the film work, drill the weight room. You guys will see,” he said. “He’s already played in the SEC, did great things at Vanderbilt. He’s even more hungry here to put the ball in his hands. Following up C-Rod, he’s got really big shoes to fill. He’s excited and I can’t wait for everyone to watch him play too.”

“I’m a Winner”

Often times newcomers are asked to describe their skill-set to new fans. It can illicit awkward, boastful responses at times. Devin Leary has put up big numbers, but the passing yards and touchdowns are not his top priority.

“First and foremost, I’m a winner. I’ll do each and every week everything that I can to prepare with my team and coaches to just get one more point than the other team. That’s my priority every single week,” he said.

“Secondly, I’m a gunslinger. I like to throw the rock around. I pride myself on my accuracy and my arm strength. But at the same time, understanding at my position that it’s okay to throw the ball away and live for another down. I love this position, I love everything that comes with it and winning is my priority.”

And you’ll love everything about Devin Leary when you listen to his entire conversation with Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond and Drew Franklin on the Kentucky-Florida KSR Pregame Show.