The Wolfpacker

July-August 2020 Issue

The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports

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28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER ne of redshirt sophomore quarterback Devin Leary's first priori- ties when returning to New Jersey after the closing of NC State's campus in March was to arrange for a workout with some of his old high school teammates and other college players he knew in the area. His brother, rising junior high school quarterback Donovan Leary, joined them. Twenty minutes into an early workout, Leary and the others ran into a slight problem. A police officer had pulled up to tell them, "Sorry guys, you can't have this many people on the field." "It was a local park, and there was a back field that didn't necessarily say the field was closed off," Leary recalled. "But they had to do their job." The quarterback improvised and staggered workout times with the receivers, hosting one group in the morning and another in the afternoon. It was important for Leary to get that work in, because Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren has al- ready noted that entering preseason camp the starting position is Leary's to lose. "For Coach Doeren to have said that about me it just shows how much he trusts me, how much he is looking forward to me to fulfill my potential, to continue to keep growing, to continue to keep leading these guys," Leary said. "I'm just as excited as he is." It's a far cry from a year ago, when Leary exited preseason camp third on the depth chart. That was not a position he was ac- customed to finding himself. The three- year starter at Timber Creek High School in Sicklerville, N.J., set New Jersey state records for career passing yards (9,672) and touchdown throws (117). His old high school coach, Robert Hin- son, once noted Leary probably could have started as a freshman, and in fact due to an injury he did so in a marquee rivalry game. Thus being third on the depth chart was frustrating. "Just being the competitor that I am," Leary admitted. "Nothing against any of the guys that were starting over me or the coaches' decision. Nothing against them. "The competitor that I am, the competitor that I strive out to [be] every single day, I would say originally I was frustrated, but I never got too down on myself." Leary prepared himself on a weekly basis as if he would be the starter, and that mo- ment came at Wake Forest. He finished the year 101-of-210 passing for 1,219 yards with eight touchdowns and five picks, and would be the first to admit the need to be better. Leary explained that part of his evolution is, "stepping into uncomfortable situations, but having to be comfortable in it." That includes becoming a better leader to help bring the team together. "I think he's got a very quiet confidence about himself," first-year NC State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck noted. "He's becoming a much, much better leader on our football team, which is a very high demand by me. I like how he is progressing." Leading is a challenge in the days of O READY TO LEAD Redshirt Sophomore Quarterback Devin Leary Aims To Take Command Of The Offense " I think he's got a very quiet confidence about himself. He's becoming a much, much better leader on our football team, which is a very high demand by me. I like how he is progressing. NC State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tim Beck on Leary "

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