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NC State Football

Devin Leary: "We're On A Good Track Right Now"

December 22, 2021
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NC State quarterback Devin Leary met with the media to discuss bowl practice, UCLA, returning for another year, and much more!

NOTE: Click the video above to watch the interview.


How has practice been going? How's the mentality and just the spirit that everyone has going into this game?
Practice has been going great.

We got a good amount of time off to get our bodies back right. Being able to recover, mentally... guys are excited to get back on the field, get back with each other, and start to get back to work, to get this 10th win.

Are you guys taking extra steps with COVID? How are you guys handling that situation as a team?
Yeah, we're aware of it. We're aware that it's picking back up.

You see it everywhere all over the news on social media. We've definitely been taking more precaution, wearing our masks around the building, wearing our masks in the meeting room, and just being extra cautious... having to go out to San Diego too, there could be sparks over there too.

So just being as cautious as we possibly can.

How much has bowl practice been focusing on you guys and what you do well, as opposed to preparing for UCLA?
Yeah, I think the coaches did a great job of being able to put a good plan in for us. First couple practices we were able to kind of figure out the tendencies that we have or what we needed to work on or certain things that we didn't do well throughout the season that we kind of put on tape. We were able to take that off the tape, work on those things just last week.

Now this week, we're kind of back on schedule of UCLA gameplan, being able to get different looks from what they run defensively.

We're on a good track right now.

I know Dave has mentioned using bowl practices to get some of the younger players some reps. Offensively, who are some guys that have caught your eye on that side of the ball?
Offensively I think it was a great opportunity. I think a bunch of guys kind of showed where they were at, kind of stood out. I think freshman running back Demie Sumo has opened a lot of eyes.

Our center, Lyndon Cooper, has been doing a great job as well, learning behind Grant.

Then receivers and then a bunch of young guys... Julian Gray, young guys doing great and showing what they can do.

I don't know if Devin, if you can repeat that or not for me, man. I'd appreciate it.
Yeah. Can you repeat the question I guess?

I was just asking, obviously during bowl practices, a lot of younger guys get some reps just because maybe you're resting some older players. Just offensively, who were some of the younger players who caught your eye during bowl workouts?
I was just saying it was a great opportunity to see those younger guys, to be able to get more reps, being able to see them in a more live setting against our defense. Being able to go to faster tempo, not necessarily on scout team.

A couple guys that I think stood out... starting with Lyndon Cooper, freshman center, he did a great job. Anthony Belton at left tackle. Demie Sumo has been opening a lot of eyes as well.

Then just some young receivers. I think Anthony Smith did a great job. A little older guy, Jasiah Provillon, had a nice couple practices as well. Jalen Coit, Julian Gray. There's a whole bunch of guys that weren't able to get many reps throughout the season, but now being able to see them, it was pretty cool.

You've had quite a few guys announce that they're coming back next year. Seems to kind of really be a “run it back” mentality with this team. Just what does that kind of say about this group and the culture you guys have built the last couple years?
Yeah, I think it says a lot.

I think it goes to prove that, you know, guys on this team aren't satisfied with what we already accomplished this year. I think it also goes to show that guys want to come back to prove how much better we can be, to how much more we can accomplish.

It all starts with the coaches being able to build the right culture here.  Guys just really buying in, guys understanding how much better we can be, how much better we can be when we eliminate the mistakes we did this past season.

So just being able to hear everyone coming back, being able to see and, you know, feel that same family-like atmosphere in our locker room is just huge.

I always think back, my favorite Christmases were the ones where I got a new PlayStation or something like that... Do you have a favorite Christmas gift that you ever received as a kid or even, you know, now as a college guy?
So as a kid, I know my favorite Christmas gift was always getting the new Madden. Every year a new Madden would come out. Whether it was my aunts or my grandmom, someone always found a way to get me the new Madden. That was always what I looked forward to every year.

What about this bowl game specifically, outside just getting a 10th win for this season, what is the number one thing you guys want to prove for this program on this national stage that you're about to get?

Yeah, I think it's a great stage. I think it's a great platform for us to really show what we can accomplish on a national stage. Obviously we had multiple national televised games this year, but for it to be a Holiday Bowl and for us to have [the] opportunity to win the 10th when of the season, I think it's huge for our team, huge for our program, and we know what's at stake, especially leading into next year as well. Figuring out where we will put ourselves next year.

Just being around everyone, being around what I'm hearing every day in our meeting rooms with coach Doeren, coach Beck... everyone is very eager to get this 10th win.

What's allowed you in particular, and the offense in general, to be successful this season?
I think what allowed us to be successful is just preparation. Being able to see a whole bunch of defenses nowadays, just being able to dissect where you can attack different defenses, how our different game plans, whether it's RPOs, run game, vertical passing, really anything.

Being able to dissect where we would attack them offensively and how our offensive plan will work for all four quarters. So just really being able to prepare, film study, and everyone holding themselves accountable has made us so successful this year.

What have you done that makes you a challenge for defenses?
I think for myself just being consistent with my play. Being consistent with how I make decisions with the ball, being able to protect the ball, and then obviously just constructing our offense.

I think being able to put it on film and understand that there are not many flaws or not many weaknesses in our offense, whether it's a self-inflicted penalty or something in that case, as long as we can eliminate them and continue to play consistent, that's kind of what I've always been striving for.

From your film study so far of UCLA, what do you see in their defense that's going to be most challenging for you guys to go against?
I think they do a lot of things. They have multiple different schemes. They definitely try to rush the quarterback. They do a whole bunch of different looks. They have a bunch of athletic guys up front that move around. The defensive backs do a great job with disguising.

So I think it'll be a good challenge for us, and I'm very excited to go against the defense.

Earlier in the year when you and I spoke one on one, I told you Tanner Ingle used the word “artist” to describe your play. I want to do a little role reversal. How would describe Tanner's play in one word this past season?
That's a good question. One word. I would say “fearless.” I think everything that he does, he's a fearless player. He's not scared to make a mistake. He's not scared to make a play. His size and just his God-given talent is just unbelievable... to watch him just put his body on the line. It doesn't matter the size of the guy that he's going up against, he's going to give it all that he has.

It's incredible to watch. So I would definitely say fearless.

I know you don't play [on his side of the ball}, but how important was it for the defense to have him available for every single game this year? As opposed to his junior year when he missed some games.
It was huge. It was huge for the defense.

Him being what, I think it's four-year starter. Just being that vocal guy on the defense, being able to construct them, being able to put everyone in the right position.

I think it was awesome for himself, too. He was really tough on himself last year when he wasn't able to finish out certain games, and he knew that we needed him to have a great season.

I mean, credit to him, he did everything that he can and understood the type of game that he needed to play.

He's been doing a great job.

Are you more excited about SeaWorld or the zoo?
The zoo. Definitely the zoo. I want to check the safari out. I heard it's one of the best in the country, so I'm excited.

 
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