The NC State Wolfpack (3-2) are currently in one of their most crucial weeks of the 2019 season. Although there is no game on the schedule for the Wolfpack, head coach Dave Doeren and his staff will be looking for answers to some important questions during practice this week. Those questions would indeed be, “Who’s starting at the quarterback position, and who’s going to spark the offense?” While the Wolfpack are looking for offensive answers, redshirt freshman quarterback Devin Leary might just be the answer.
Devin Leary Can Be The Fix For NC State
Highly-Touted Recruit
Leary committed to NC State as a highly-touted recruit out of New Jersey. In his senior season at Timber Creek High School, Leary set the state record for passing yards and touchdowns. As a result, he was named New Jersey’s 2017-18 Gatorade State Football Player of the Year. The four-star recruit was also impressive at the Elite 11 quarterback competition. He was called the “top passer” in the competition by some scouts.
@DevinLeary1 Congrats to Devin Leary, New Jersey's 2017-18 Gatorade State Football Player of the Year. #GatoradePOY @TCreekSports pic.twitter.com/bNrehLKEih
— Hudl (@Hudl) December 11, 2017
Leary’s skills received praise by many, including this scouting report by 24/7 National Analyst Brian Dohn.
“Leary is smart and knows the offense inside and out. He makes calls at the line of scrimmage, and his pre-snap reads are on point. Once the ball is snapped, he really shows his ability. Leary has strong mechanics, and he gets rid of the ball quickly and is accurate. His arm strength is above average, he spins the ball well and he fits passes into some very tight windows.
Leary also throws with touch on intermediate throws, he looks off the safety on deep passes and he is very accurate. Leary can throw a beautiful raindrop deep ball, and even on short patterns, he puts the ball in perfect position for the receiver to catch it in stride and make a play. He also was accurate throwing on the move.”
A Good First Impression
After the first half of a 44-27 loss against West Virginia in Week Three, the Pack’s offense has been mediocre at best. The most recent disappointing outing came in a 31-13 loss to Florida State last Saturday.
The Pack struggled to move the ball down the field against Florida State, which resulted in the pulling of sophomore quarterback Matt McKay. He was replaced by Bailey Hockman, who showed toughness and the ability to be more accurate on his deep balls. But Hockman still didn’t provide the spark that the Wolfpack were hoping for. Late in the fourth quarter, the Wolfpack may have found the answer that they had been looking for. After taking a few vicious hits, Hockman was removed from the game on the Pack’s final possession and was replaced by redshirt freshman Devin Leary.
Although it was in “garbage time,” Florida State wasn’t necessarily taking it easy on the Wolfpack in a prevent defense, but instead were blitzing until the final play. This made Leary’s performance even more notable. Leary showed off his strong, accurate arm and the ability to step up in the pocket when needed. He would finish the game four of five for 54 yards, and almost had a touchdown pass that was fumbled away at the goal line. In an ugly offensive performance, Leary was the one bright spot for the Wolfpack.
“I thought Devin Leary came in and did some really good things at the end of the game,” said Doeren. “He looked great. I’m proud of him.”
The Current Quarterback Battle
After being named the starting quarterback, McKay showed some potential at times, but struggled to consistently connect downfield. And Hockman, who only saw limited action, has shown some promise, but still has not provided the spark that the Pack is looking for. Leary provides the downfield passing accuracy, which gives a struggling offense big-play potential.
After being spoiled with NFL caliber quarterbacks like Philip Rivers, Mike Glennon, Ryan Finley, and Jacoby Brissett, the Wolfpack are missing that dynamic player under center. However, Leary appears to be the most capable of the three to carry on the “Quarterback U” tradition.
Leary Deserves a Shot
Although it was a very small sample size, Leary’s showing in Tallahassee was encouraging. Without sophomore running back Ricky Person Jr. for the rest of 2019, the Wolfpack need someone who can ignite the team. For a struggling offense that is looking for any kind of boost to get them rolling, Leary has the traits and skills to be the long-term fix for NC State. However, if Leary is named the starter, you can expect some bumps in the road as he learns the offense and gets his first extended playing time. But, after all, this was expected to be a rebuilding year in Raleigh.
