On a big stage, Georgia game a big opportunity for Kentucky quarterback Devin Leary
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Preview: No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia
Click below to read more of the Herald-Leader’s and Kentucky.com’s preview coverage ahead of Saturday’s Kentucky-Georgia football game at 7 p.m. in Athens, Ga.
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Already considered an excellent NFL prospect, C.J. Stroud elevated his status last New Year’s Eve. In his biggest opportunity on his biggest stage, the Ohio State quarterback completed 23 of 34 passes for 348 yards and four touchdowns against the Georgia Bulldogs in a College Football Playoff semifinal game.
Ohio State lost 42-41. No matter. Stroud went No. 2 overall in this year’s NFL Draft. Through four games with the Houston Texans, he’s completing 62 percent of his passes, with six touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Texans are a surprising 2-2. Stroud is the early favorite to be the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Saturday night is Devin Leary’s big opportunity.
The Kentucky quarterback will lead the 20th-ranked Wildcats into Sanford Stadium against those same Georgia Bulldogs for a 7:30 p.m. ESPN kickoff against the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, which happens to be the two-time defending national champ.
OK, maybe these aren’t the same Bulldogs. Kirby Smart’s team has survived scares, rallying from a 14-3 deficit to beat South Carolina 24-14; rallying from a 17-10 deficit to beat Auburn 27-20. Still, Georgia is Georgia, winners of 22 straight.
As for Leary, the transfer has yet to match the precision passer reputation he earned at North Carolina State, where in 2021 he completed 65.7 percent of his throws for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns with five interceptions. Through five games as a Wildcat, Leary is 82-of-142 (57.7 percent) for 1,129 yards and 10 touchdowns with five interceptions.
To be fair, Leary is coming off pectoral surgery that ended his 2022 season after six games. His offensive coordinator (Liam Coen) and receivers are new. Most important, Kentucky is 5-0.
With Ray Davis rushing for a ridiculous 280 yards in UK’s 33-14 thumping of Florida last week, the Cats didn’t need much from Leary, who was 9-of-19 for 69 yards. Still, as head coach Mark Stoops said Monday, “We’re going to need to execute at a higher level in the pass game as we move forward.”
Starting Saturday.
While foes who have rushed for at least 100 yards have had the most success against the Dawgs — “You have to have some yards rushing or you don’t have a good chance of beating Georgia,” Stoops said Monday — Kentucky must at least be balanced to have a chance at the upset.
“I think it’s a chemistry, it’s a connection,” said Coen when asked Tuesday about how to make the passing game better. “When you lead the country in drops, it’s not really a good thing.”
Indeed, UK’s pass catchers haven’t always caught passes. Glaring example: A wide-open Barion Brown dropped a sure TD pass from Leary while attempting to tight-rope the end line at the back of the end zone last Saturday against Florida.
To his credit, Leary has gone out of his way to point the finger at himself. After throwing two interceptions in UK’s 45-28 victory at Vanderbilt, the quarterback put it bluntly: “I’ve just got to play better.”
To be sure, the coaches love Leary’s leadership, his work ethic, his level head. Leary’s pocket presence is a major reason why Kentucky has allowed only four sacks in five games.
“I think the offensive line has done a much better job,” Stoops said. “I think Devin and his awareness and his ability to move in the pocket, and I also believe I have to give credit to the staff for putting them in a position to protect and move the pocket and take your shots and pick your protections at the right time.”
The Cats must pick their Saturday spots. Georgia’s defensive strength is its secondary. The Bulldogs lead the SEC and are fourth nationally in pass defense efficiency. They lead the conference in interceptions with eight. Kentucky owns the tools to compete with the Dawgs through the air, if everything comes together.
“They’ve got to get better at the quarterback spot right now,” said ESPN analyst Greg McElroy on his podcast this week. “I love Devin Leary. You guys know that dating back to his time at N.C. State. . . . (but) if Kentucky is going to go toe-to-toe with Georgia, Devin Leary has to be able to get things going.”
Saturday is his big opportunity.
This story was originally published October 6, 2023 at 6:45 AM.
