Three of his linemen left when the season ended. Another transferred. Two more are hurt and will miss the spring. Some reinforcements will arrive this summer, but that doesn’t help now.
The numbers on Bud Foster’s defensive line this spring have left Virginia Tech scrambling to mix and match personnel just to fill out a proper depth chart. And that, Foster said, underscores the biggest chasm between the Hokies and the elites of the ACC.
“I still think we’re a year or two away, from a recruiting standpoint, from having that quality depth like a Clemson or Florida State,” Foster said.