The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

PERHAPS it was wearing the white road jerseys for the first time, but the much maligned Virginia Tech receiving corps finally gained legitimacy this season, due in large part to a career day from Demitri Knowles.

Knowles caught eight receptions for 99 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass in the Hokies’ (2-1) 15-10 win over the East Carolina Pirates (2-1) at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville, NC, on Saturday. He earned the game ball from head coach Frank Beamer for his performance.

It was a career high in both receptions and receiving yards for Knowles who caught his first touchdown pass since week one of the 2012 season.

Knowles came into the game with a combined total of four catches for 23 yards in the previous two outings.

In just three games this season, Knowles has totalled 12 receptions for 122 yards and one touchdown.

As a freshman he caught 19 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown.

His top game of his freshman season was a six catch 83-yard performance against North Carolina in October.

After struggling in week one with two catches for three yards against a vaunted Alabama defence and adding another two catches for 20 yards against Eastern Carolina, Knowles broke out against Western.

After two missed targets, Knowles’ first catch of the game was the 30-yard score on a third and nine play, from senior quarterback Logan Thomas. He added another catch in the second quarter to total two catches and 37 yards headed into the half.

On the Hokies’ opening drive of the third quarter, Knowles took the opening kickoff 11 yards and followed with a six-yard catch, and nine-yard catch on consecutive plays.

Knowles had a huge third down conversion with a 22-yard catch to keep the Hokies’ drive alive and maintain a slim margin late in the fourth quarter.

Thomas had his best passing game of the season (25-43) for 258 yards and two touchdowns. It was the most yards he has passed for all season as he went 10-11 on both scoring drives, converted eight third downs and connected with seven different receivers for the game.

Junior receiver Willie Byrn also had seven catches for 63 yards while DJ Coles added another touchdown catch.

With the Hokies’ struggles in the passing game for the first two weeks, the Pirates stacked eight in the box for much of the game in an effort to stifle the running game and Trey Edmunds.

Thomas responded with his best outing of the season which included just one interception on a deep pass attempt to Knowles.

The Virginia Tech defence, which entered the game as the fourth ranked squad in the NCAA, had another stellar game led by freshman cornerback Brandon Facyson who had two interceptions.

Next up for the Hokies is a home game against the Marshall Thundering Herd, at Lane Stadium on September 21.

In other NCAA action, both Rico Forbes and Jamaal Symonett each helped to anchor their teams to wins on their respective offensive lines.

In the Pac-12, Forbes and the Washington State Cougars (2-1) won 48-10 over Southern Utah, an FCS programme.

Forbes and the offensive line led the Cougars to 464 yards of total offence in the route.

Quarterback Connor Halliday completed his first 10 passes of the game, threw for 383 yards and five touchdowns.

Next week they face the Idaho Vandals September 21 at home in Pullman, Washington.

Symonett and his North Carolina Central University Eagles (2-1) won 40-13 over Charlotte 49ers (2-1) in an FCS match-up. He returned to the starting line-up at left guard and paved the way for 385 total yards for the Eagles, including 207 rushing yards. The Eagles set to face Towson University at home at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium on September 21.