MATT GENTRY The Roanoke Times

Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor (center) leads the Hokies' offensive unit in conditioning drills at the end of a recent football scrimmage at Lane Stadium.

BLACKSBURG -- A Virginia Tech quarterback completing 16 of 17 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns?

Those numbers are not typos, either. Promise.

In a preseason in which much of the conversation and ink has been about Tech's lethal stable of tailbacks, Taylor showed Saturday why he's still the most flammable fuse to the Hokies' offense in the squad's final scrimmage at Lane Stadium.

Cutting up the Hokies' second-team defense like a machete, Taylor nearly tossed a perfecto, missing on only one pass attempt -- and that was a throwaway to avoid a sack.

Asked afterwards if he'd ever had a better day throwing the ball, Taylor replied: "What were the numbers?''

When a reporter spewed the lovely stats, Taylor raised his eyebrows and smiled.

''Well, yeah, I'm hoping I'm can duplicate that in a game,'' Taylor responded.

Tech coach Frank Beamer wasn't shocked about a show that was seen by few, since the session was closed to both media and fans.

"That's the way he's been all [summer],'' Beamer said. "This guy is accurate, he's getting the ball out of there, he knows where the ball is going, our receivers are catching the ball well for him. That Tyrod, I've said it all along: I feel the same way with him out there as I did when Michael Vick was out there ... the next play can be a big play, any play has a chance of going a long ways and I think Tyrod gives you that same element right now.''

Taylor completed his first 10 passes, including a 95-yard catch-and-run TD pass to tight end Andre Smith on the third play of the scrimmage. He later found tailback Darren Evans for a 4-yard scoring pass and later combined with flanker Dyrell Roberts for a 35-yard TD. Junior split end Jarrett Boykin snared seven passes for 134 yards, and junior Danny Coale of Lexington caught four passes for 40 yards.

Meanwhile, sophomore David Wilson, listed No. 3 behind the top two tailbacks, Ryan Williams and Evans, continued to present a strong argument that he must play and not redshirt this fall. Getting mostly work against the first-team defense, the speedy Danville native finished with a session-high 61 yards rushing on 11 carries, plus returned a kickoff 43 yards.

"You like seeing [Wilson] on the field,'' said Beamer, who said he will talk with his offensive staff about Wilson's status as the Hokies gear up for their Sept. 6 season opener against Boise State.

Taylor knows which way his vote is slanted on the Wilson question.

"I don't know the status right now, but he's a great player,'' Taylor said. "I love playing with him. Fast guy, he can break a play at any time, and he's not going down easily.''

The lone question on offense right now appears to be at left tackle, where projected started Nick Becton got some work with the No. 2 offense. Becton has been slowed by a hyperextended right toe suffered Aug. 8. Backup Andrew Lanier got most of the first-team work Saturday. Another backup, Michael Via, also got a lot of reps.

"Becton is not quite ready and we didn't want to hurt him anymore,'' offensive line coach Curt Newsome said. "We got him in there for two series, but he's dragging [the foot] pretty good and he's still not 100 percent. He just needs to get better. But we won't have a physical practice until Wednesday, and that time will help him. If I were a betting man, I would think right now that Nick and Andrew will both play.''

While Tech's No. 2 defense got shredded by Taylor & Co., coordinator Bud Foster's first-team unit was rock solid, holding the No. 2 offense to only a pair of field goals.

''There were some guys that I would have liked to have seen take a step up, especially, at some key spots,'' Foster said. "I have my concerns right now. If we have to play only 11 guys, that's what we'll do.''

And what about Taylor? Foster knows that Taylor and his playmakers can be the best ally for his retooled and inexperienced defense.

"Tyrod Taylor right now is playing the best of any quarterback we've had here in a long, long time,'' Foster said. "For us to have a great season, Tyrod Taylor is a main guy. I think right now offensively we've got a chance to be as dynamic as we have been.

"That's going to be good because we're going to be in a situation on [defense]. Hey, there have been times we've made opportunities for our offense. I hope they'll keep us off the field, and that will make for a great defense.''