It was a bend but don't break performance from Virginia Tech's defense in their 31-7 victory over Stanford as the Hokies only allowed the Cardinal to reach the red zone twice, forcing a fumble on one of those trips. They also limited the big plays in this game, holding Stanford to a low 4.1 yards per play. Overall, this was a strong performance from the Tech defense even if it wasn't flashy whatsoever.
So with that in mind, here are our defensive takeaways from the Hokies' 31-7 victory over Stanford.
1. Kaleb Spencer Remains a Very Pleasant Surprise for VT
Expectations for 2024 were almost nonexistent for Kaleb Spencer given his late arrival as a summer transfer addition for the Hokies along with the fact that his most likely position had a clear starter in Keonta Jenkins. Add in the fact that Spencer's freshman experience at Miami was limited to special teams and it was fair to see him in a similar role this year if they chose not to redshirt him.
Though Jenkins has played well, Spencer has produced at the level that has forced the Hokies to find ways to get him on the field.
This game may have been Spencer's finest performance yet with five tackles including three for loss with a sack plus a forced fumble. That now has Spencer at eight tackles including four for loss, a simply insane stat line for a player who isn't even a starter on this defense.
After the game, Brent Pry had high praise for what Spencer has been able to produce for the Hokies in recent weeks and the way he plays the game.
