Football games are won in the trenches, and if a defensive line can get penetration, they can dictate the tempo and flow of a game. Tech fans found that out the hard way last season when the Hokies’ offensive line was overmatched by many defenses they faced. But during Saturday afternoon’s scrimmage, Virginia Tech’s offensive line more than held its own against Bud Foster’s vaunted defense.

The scrimmage on Saturday was more like a mini-game than an actual scrimmage. The starters faced the top backups, and it was the starters that came away with a 21-10 victory. The offense didn’t dominate, but they took a big step in the right direction.

All the quarterbacks looked good, and they didn’t find themselves running for their lives like they have been forced to do recently. For the most part they had a lot of time to stand in the pocket and deliver the football. The only defensive player to get consistent pressure on the quarterback was Orion Martin, and that was against the #2 offensive line. Martin recorded the day’s only sack, against Ike Whitaker.

Whitaker was much better on Saturday than he looked earlier in the spring. He directed the offense well, and his passes were a lot more accurate. They also looked much sharper. Many of his passes earlier in the spring were wobbly and didn’t look strong. That wasn’t the case on Saturday.

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