Spring Practice Notebook: Devin Leary Under Center, Special Teams Attention, Tight End Depth

Notes, quotes and observations from Kentucky football's fourth spring practice in 2023.

Kentucky football is now amidst its second week of spring practice in 2023, and head coach Mark Stoops gave reporters an opportunity to stop by and check out the Wildcats. 

There will once again be no spring game at Kroger Field, due to the turf being replaced, so seeing UK during practice will have to do. Plenty of news has circulated the program, most recently the dismissal of senior defensive back Vito Tisdale for a violation of team rules.

You can find notes from Stoops' first presser of the spring back on March 6 here. 

Here are some notes, quotes and observations from Tuesday's spring practice: 

Devin Leary continuing to adjust under center

As you'd expect, quarterback Devin Leary impressed. Two weeks ago, wide receivers Dane Key and Barion Brown both were complimentary of the "touch" that Leary had with his throws. That was evident on Tuesday, as he clearly has a knack for fitting balls in tight windows and making passes that only his receiver can get to. 

"He really prides himself on taking care of the football," offensive coordinator Liam Coen said of the QB. "Taking check downs. slightly moving in the pocket and finding his outlets. He does a nice job of playing on schedule, playing on time. He understands the rhythm. He understands the pocket. He does a great job."

When originally asked about Leary when he was re-introduced as the OC, Coen mentioned that he wanted to get the signal-caller under center more, something that would be a switch, as Leary lived in the shotgun at NC State. 

"It's still a work in progress, you know, it's four practices in," Coen said. "From the run game standpoint, and operating underneath the center, has been just fine."

Adjustments have come easy for Leary thus far; a nod to his veteran leadership that is making his addition to the UK offense a seamless one. He appears to be close to, if not 100 percent as he takes reps. 

"Doing great. I'm in great shape right now. My arm feels really really good. And I mean every single day I'm just blessed. Just to be back on my feet, my arm back healthy. Being able to throw the ball with ease," Leary said. 

Zero worrying signs from QB1 thus far. 

Serious special teams attention

The addition of running backs coach and special teams coordinator Jay Boulware was a big one on the surface, but it's always hard to truly gauge just how different things can be on special teams. 

From punting, to snapping, to field goals, to extra points and everything in-between, that phase was an absolute calamity for the Wildcats. Coach John Settle was fired, leading to the hiring of Boulware, who has major experience at big time programs like Auburn, Oklahoma and Texas.

Things looked different on Tuesday, simply in the way that the special teams unit was working. Fast paced field goal unit setups, proper direction, a real rhyme and reason to the work that the team was putting in. Chance Poore was taking the field goals, and hit about every one he attempted. 

It feels like real intent was placed on nipping any issue that could rear its head again in 2023 in the bud. Clean snaps and clean results were a theme from the unit, a good sign for the future. 

Tight end injuries lead to early impressions on Izayah Cummings and Khamari Anderson 

One room that is behind schedule for the Wildcats is the tight ends. Injuries took a toll on the room in the 2022 season, and that trend continued through the offseason, as Brenden Bates, Jordan Dingle and Josh Kattus are all currently on the shelf. 

That of course means opportunity for others, however. One of the names that Coen brought up was incoming freshman Khamari Anderson.

"I like Khamari Anderson as a young kid," Coen said. "He's got some tools. In terms of his size, he doesn't look like a kid that should be a senior in high school still right now so excited about his development and growth."

Anderson is a 3-star recruit that headed to Lexington out of Cass Tech High School in Detroit, the same school as former linebacker DeAndre Square and current defensive lineman Deone Walker. Standing at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, he's already making a splash, earning some props from Leary as well. 

"He's only 17 years old. And I think a lot of people out here forget about that," Leary said with a smile. "Like, he looks like a grown man out there and he's making plays but he's still supposed to be in high school."

Anderson made a couple of nice plays, as did senior Izayah Cummings. After a solid 2021 season under Coen, Cummings fell to the wayside in 2022, as he didn't fit into the scheme of OC Rich Scangarello. Now that Coen is back, it spells well for the receiver/tight end. 

"He was one of the guys that hit me up when I was in the portal, just saying, you know, 'if I came here, he's very excited to get to work and you know, he'll be a hard worker,' and he's proven that since day one," Leary said of Cummings. 

The Louisville native caught 14 balls for three scores in 2021 in more of a hybrid role, something Coen hopes to find with the veteran once again:

"Just coming along. Right. I mean, obviously, he was a big part of our offense in 2021. He was really coming along towards the end of that season," he said of Cummings. "We got him in into that same role that he was in. We're trying to drop a little bit of pounds off for him, because he gained some weight in order to truly kind of play more tight end last year. So we're trying to shed some pounds off for him, get him back playing fast to where he was."

For more spring practice coverage, click HERE to learn about Jager Burton's adjustment to the center position. 

Devin Leary discusses his decision to transfer to Kentucky HERE.

Ray Davis isn't following former Kentucky RB's footsteps. More HERE.

Want the latest on national football and basketball recruiting, including Cats targets? Head over to SI All-American for the latest news, blogs, and updates about the nation's best prospects.

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