Devin Leary Will Throw the Ball to ‘anybody at any time’

Devin Leary (Vicky Graff Photo)

One plus that quarterback Devin Leary is going to give Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen is the ability to efficiently run a two-minute offense. Leary played in a spread offense at North Carolina State before transferring to UK in January and should be comfortable with what the former Los Angeles Ram offensive coordinator wants him to do in the two-minute drill.

“He’s played in no-huddle, uptempo offenses. He’s played in those situations before,” Coen said after practice Tuesday. “For us actually, he’s more comfortable probably operating that way when we are going tempo, we are in the gun, we’re kind of spinning the ball around and playing fast. That’s what he’s used to,

“He’s foreign to more of the things that we’re doing on a play-by-play basis within first and second down. I thought it was really nice to see him make some great throws when we needed him to in the two-minute situation.

“His poise, his confidence really carried over throughout the rest of the unit.”

That poise and confidence is what Coen is counting on to help make the Kentucky offense special this year. He also has a proven ability to read defenses and also get the ball out of his hands quickly, something receivers and offensive linemen will all appreciate.

“All eligibles are alive when Devin’s throwing the ball,” Coen said. “The concept might mean we are trying to throw a curl-flat. But if that curl-flat doesn’t look good to him, he’ll exhaust all eligibles.

“So all four or five receivers, tight ends, running backs, if you’re within the route concept, you gotta get ready for the ball because he will throw it to anybody at any time.”

That can be easier said than done but Leary has proven he can pick out open receivers.

“He has a great feel for the vision of the play, the concept and understanding, but he also knows how to just play ball,” Coen said.  “That is as important as the details, the fundamentals and techniques of the pass game so that we are in the right spots at the right time.”