t’s time to admit Devin Leary was a very good quarterback at Kentucky
Listen, BBN — I know the headline probably made some of you shake your head. “But he missed too many throws… the offense sputtered… we expected more!”
Sure. But let’s talk facts — not frustration.
Let’s play a little blind résumé test. Imagine three Kentucky quarterbacks under Mark Stoops. One of them threw for over 2,700 yards, 25 touchdowns, and led multiple SEC shootouts. One of them played on a slow-paced offense but still managed more scoring strikes than Will Levis did in his 2021 NFL-draft season. One of them played with the one of the highest dropped passes rates in the country — and still put up one of the best statistical seasons of the Stoops era.
They’re all the same guy: Devin Leary.
When you stack up the best single seasons by QBs under Mark Stoops, it goes something like this:
- Will Levis (2021): 2,827 yards, 24 TDs, 66% completions.
- Devin Leary (2023): 2,746 yards, 25 TDs, 56% completions.
- Patrick Towles (2014): 2,718 yards, 14 TDs, 57% completions.
That’s it. That’s the top three.
Leary didn’t have a flawless season. He was streaky at times. But the moments were real. Against Tennessee, he went 28-for-39 for 372 yards and 2 scores. Versus Clemson, 307 yards and 2 touchdowns. And remember: those numbers came with the most dropped passes in college football at one point during the year. Not bad for a guy playing in a system that throttled his natural rhythm.
At NC State, Leary was a stat machine. In 2021, he threw for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns against just 5 interceptions — leading an up-tempo offense that let him cook. He earned Heisman buzz and All-ACC honors. His efficiency and production made him one of the most sought-after QBs in the transfer portal.
At Kentucky, he was asked to slow it all down. Fewer possessions. Shorter routes. Fewer deep shots. Add in protection issues early in the year and inconsistent receiver play, and you can see why it never quite looked as pretty as fans hoped.
But here’s the truth BBN, it's time to admit you were wrong: statistically, Devin Leary had the second-best QB season of the Stoops era — and it’s a lot closer to Levis than it is closer to Towles.
No, he wasn’t perfect. But he was a very good quarterback.
And if anything, Leary's year should be a case study — not a scapegoat — for what Kentucky football needs to do to unlock top-tier quarterback play going forward.
Put some respect on it.