Devin Leary After Pitt: BULLETED

Redshirt Sophomore Devin Leary had a breakout performance today in NC State’s 30-29 victory over #24 Pitt on the road, completing 28 of 44 for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns (0 interceptions). Leary met with the media after the game. You can watch it here, or read a BULLETED breakdown below.

• Ever since last year we’ve faced a lot of adversity, even coming into this game.
• Unfortunately having a lot of guys injured last year, we were not able to have all the guys we wanted on the field.
• Today, overall, I thought that it was a really great team win.
• Personally, I feel like the defense balled out.
  • They helped us out a lot.
• Being able to see everybody on the field going 100% was very exciting.

Game-Winning Drive…

• Knew we didn’t have any timeouts, and I believe there was 1:44 on the clock.
• It’s something we practice every single week.
  • Different situations depending on where the ball is…how many timeouts we have…how much time is on the clock.
  • Usually in practice we practice with under 1:40.
• We’re a tempo team.
• Being able to get everybody on the ball set, everyone on the same page was very critical in those last couple seconds coming down the game.
• The last play, like Coach Beck tells me all the time…just ‘give our guys a chance.’
  • As long as you give them a chance, that’s all you can do.

Vertical passing game…

• Our receivers are strong, fast, big dudes.
• As long as we can give our guys a chance, we’re fortunate that they’ll be able to make a play for us.
• Just put the ball in their vicinity and they’ll make a play.
• It was very, very helpful that our offensive line gave me time back there to give those guys a shot.

Able to stay calm…

• I kind of just take it play by play.
• You just have to go 1-0 every single play.
• If I’m preaching that to my teammates, then they’re going to look at me to approach the situation the same way.

4th Down Conversion to Thayer Thomas…

• Fourth down with no timeouts, it’s do-or-die definitely.
• You have to make a play.
  • Honestly, that’s one of my favorite things to do.
  • All the eyes are on me, the ball is in my hand, and I have to make a play.
• Thayer did a great job, ran a great route.
• I had great protection, and we were able to get the 1st down.
• Being able to stay calm in those situations is very key.

Emeka Emezie…

• Emeka is definitely his biggest critic, but the kid is a baller.
• He’s got so much talent.
• Being able to see him play today with so much joy and to get all the guys around him upbeat was very pleasing to see.

So many targets to throw to…

• It’s very huge.
• It really all starts in the offseason, building as much chemistry as I can with every single receiver on our depth chart.
• Coach McDonald preaches to them that every man has to be ready going into the game, because you never know when the next guy is going to be up.
• As a quarterback you have to know how every guy runs his route.
• You have to have a certain amount of chemistry with every single receiver, and I think that paid off today.

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