Whoa, hold up. Remember all those questions swirling around the Virginia Tech offensive line? Heading into this season, the two-deep was largely players who’d been in the program for a couple of seasons, part of a unit that was anything but a team strength. Add in the projected starting tackle Johnny Garrett’s injury, and concerns multiplied. Even Head Coach James Franklin had his worries, aggressively recruiting in 2026 and bringing in transfers like Justin Terry from Ohio State and Logan Howland from Oklahoma to bolster the line. But now, Pro Football Network’s advanced metrics have the Hokies’ O-line ranked as the fifth highest-graded unit in all of college football through three weeks this season. Fifth! That’s a massive jump for a group that was supposed to be a major weakness.
From Zero to Hero: The O-Line’s Unexpected Dominance
The Hokies are rolling right now, 3-0 as we enter Week 4 of the 2026 season. Sure, the competition hasn’t been the absolute toughest out there, but let’s be real, you could say that across a lot of college football early on. What *can’t* be denied is their dominant win over Maryland last week. That game snapped a brutal 15-game non-conference road losing streak against Power Four opponents. They’re not just winning; they’re beating teams they should beat, by a lot, and frankly, dominating games. When’s the last time you could say that about this program? A huge part of this early success? You guessed it, the offensive line. While there are some lingering concerns about the run blocking, this unit looked phenomenal against a big, talented Maryland defensive line. That fifth-highest grade isn’t just a fluke. They’re playing with serious cohesion and making a real statement.
The Looming Shadow: Terry’s Injury and What’s Next
Just when things start looking up, there’s a gut punch. Left tackle Justin Terry, that redshirt sophomore transfer who has been so impressive in his short time at Virginia Tech, was helped off the field with a lower-leg injury during Saturday’s win over Maryland. He later returned to the sideline, but he was on crutches. When Coach Franklin met with the media on Monday, he wouldn’t elaborate on Terry’s status until he spoke with him. That’s never a good sign, is it? It sounds anything but positive. The good news is that Logan Howland stepped in to replace Terry at left tackle and played well, showing that depth Franklin wisely added. But losing Terry, especially if it’s long-term, could change the entire dynamic of this surprisingly strong unit.
The Hokies are back in action this Saturday at Boston College. The weather could be a huge factor up there, which sounds like a perfect day for the offensive line to go out there and absolutely dominate. Let’s see if this group, with or without Terry, can keep this incredible early momentum rolling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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