University, Va., September 23.--Football in the driving rain has been the gridiron diet of the University of Virginia University football squad drilling on Lambeth Field under Coach Earle Neale this week.

But the wet field, the slippery ball, and the strongest scrub defense that Line Coaches Kellison and Fenwick could build up by reenforcing the second University with the most powerful men from the first year squad together were not able to stop the charging Virginia backs using the new offensive plays planned for the season.

Crowds of students who braved the downpour were thrilled time and again to see Captain Maphis, Frost, Walp, Diffey or Cuddy rip through the defending eleven and race down the field. Coach Neale kept shifting his backs, but the march toward the uprights was not halted.

These practices speak well for Virginias offense, but they have also shown weaknesses in the defensive strength of the Old Dominion forwards. For from tackle to tackle the line is new and untried.

Fred Thesmar is out for the season and many days will pass before "Mulligan". Holland will be able to fill in his place as tackle. With not a letter man to count on except the ends, the line coaches are working overtime to develop guards and tackles.

Reynolds and Thompson seem able to hold down the center position between them and Coaches Kellison and Fenwick are not worrying as much about this place as over the other forward berths, Cochrill, Mackall, Fink, Peyton, Rainy, Barieasas, and Hankins, guards, and Tyler, Lacy, Coon, Glauber, Gleaves, Claiborne, and Hayman, tackles, are being given extra hard drills in line play each afternoon.

Hard workouts tomorrow and Thursday will be followed by a light practice Friday on the eve of the opener with Hampden-Sidney. And when this game is out of the way the Virginians will have to redouble their efforts in order to be ready for the Harvard contest which is to be played at Cambridge on October 4.