Mark Stoops hopeful about Devin Leary’s health after win at Mississippi State
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Game day: Kentucky 24, Mississippi State 3
Click below for more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s coverage of Saturday’s Kentucky-Mississippi State football game at Starkville.
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An injury sidelined Kentucky football quarterback Devin Leary in a win at Mississippi State, but maybe not the injury fans thought from watching the broadcast.
Leary did not play in the fourth quarter in the 24-3 victory. While there was no shortage of social media speculation that Leary’s shoulder was the issue, it was actually his eye, UK coach Mark Stoops said after the game.
“He had something in his eye,” Stoops said. “That was leading to reading the card (wrong). That’s why things were taking a long time there. Hopefully, he’ll be all right.”
Leary was forced to the sideline against Mississippi State after taking a hard hit on a pass into the end zone that was caught out of bounds in the third quarter. UK used a timeout so he could return to the field without missing a play, but he lasted just four more plays — one of which was a sack — before leaving the game for good.
UK’s quarterback was sacked just once in the game, but he escaped from what looked like a sure sack multiple other times, eluding pressure long enough to get off a throw. Mississippi State was credited with three quarterback hurries.
Backup Kaiya Sheron completed 2 of 3 passes for 5 yards in relief of Leary as Kentucky mostly tried to run the clock out to preserve the win.
The 6-foot-1, 217-pound Leary is no stranger to injuries. His 2020 season at N.C. State was ended early by a broken leg. His 2022 season ended after six games due to a torn pectoral muscle.
“Hopefully he’s OK,” offensive coordinator Liam Coen said. “His eye was really blurry. Couldn’t read. Hopefully he’s OK. That’s really all I think about.
“… From an execution standpoint, it wasn’t just his fault. Hopefully he’s OK, but that definitely affected our operation.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2023 at 11:22 PM with the headline "Mark Stoops hopeful about Devin Leary’s health after win at Mississippi State."
