The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a breakout freshman season in 2012, Demitri Knowles is primed for another stellar season as he becomes a bigger part of the Virginia Tech Hokies’ offense this fall.

Knowles caught two passes for 41 yards in the Hokies’ Orange-White 2013 Spring Games Saturday at Lane Stadium before a crowd of approximately 25,000. He has also been active in early spring scrimmages, catching a 16-yard touchdown pass in the final scrimmage before the spring game.

In an interview with Virginia Tech beat writer Andy Bitter, Knowle appeared ready to relish the role as an everyday starter in the Hokies receiving corps.

“This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting on,” he said. “This is why I came here. I knew those guys would be gone at this particular point in time. As a receiver, you want to be a complete package. That’s what I want to be. I don’t just want to be a deep threat. But that can also work to my advantage if corners are scared of me going deep. It can help me get open.”

Knowles also commented on the growing chemistry with senior quarterback Logan Thomas.

“Like last year, in certain cases, you’d have to come back to the ball,” Knowles said. “Now he’s completely on it. You just have to look at him and the ball is there. I’m feeling that me and him, and all the other receivers, are getting that chemistry that we lacked last year.”

Knowles finished the regular season with 19 receptions for 240 yards and one touchdown, good for an average of 12.6 yards per catch. His biggest impact came on special teams where he returned 21 kickoffs for 595 yards and one touchdown, an average of 28.3 yards per return. He finished third on the Hokies’ roster in all purpose yards with 859.

Knowles opened his NCAA career with a touchdown reception in his debut, set several career highs and reached the end zone for the second time four games later.

In perhaps his best all around game, he finished with six catches for 83 yards and returned a 93-yard kickoff for a touchdown in the Virgina Tech Hokies’ 48-34 loss against the North Carolina Tar Heels. He finished with three returns for 141 yards to set career highs in receptions, receiving yards, return yards and all-purpose yards (224). His score was the first kickoff return touchdown for the Hokies since 2010.

In late October, he was elevated to co-number one’s on the Hokies’ depth chart with starter at flanker Dyrell Roberts.

Fellow reserve Corey Fuller also moved up the depth chart to co-number one with the team’s leading receiver Marcus Davis. He played in all 13 games with three starts and totalled over 410 plays, including 352 on offense and 62 on special teams. He averaged 28.3 yards per kickoff return, 12th-best in the NCAA.

He was in on just three offensive plays in the season-opener against Georgia Tech, but hauled in a 42-yard pass to score his first career touchdown and put the Hokies ahead inside eight minutes to go in the OT thriller.

Some of his other highlights during the season included two rushes for 21 yards against Austin Peay, returned three kicks for 77 yards against Cincinnati, returned four kickoffs for 145 yards, with a 57-yard long at Miami, caught two passes for 43 yards against Florida State and returned three kickoffs for 108 yards, including a 75-yard long in his first career start at Boston College.

The Hokies, led by legendary head coach Frank Beamer, are coming off one of their most disappointing seasons in recent memory.

Virginia Tech returns many starters from a top-25 defense and welcomed one of the top recruiting classes in team history.

The Hokies open the 2013 season on August 31 against the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide.