By RENALDO DORSETT
Sports Reporter
rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
As spring practice continues, Bahamian wideout Demitri Knowles is no doubt looking to have a resurgence this season as the Virginia Tech Hokies rebuild their offence and passing game.
The Hokies have a new position coach at wide receiver, Zohn Burden, and Knowles will look to regain his spot in the rotation for the new look Hokies offence.
An incoming senior, Knowles is listed as a second string on the depth chart behind sophomores Isiah Ford and Cam Phillips.
Knowles suffered injury issues and fell out of favour with head coach Frank Beamer’s staff and finished the year with just three catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns.
For his three-year career in Blacksburg, Virginia thus far, he has totalled 67 catches for 936 yards and four yards.
For Knowles, a junior season that began with lofty expectations and was derailed by off-season injury is back on track as the Hokies face depth issues at the wide receiver position.
After a promising sophomore campaign, Knowles was expected to emerge in the Hokies new-look offence following the departure of quarterback Logan Thomas to the NFL.
As a sophomore, he had his best season to date when he totalled 43 receptions for 619 yards and three touchdowns, good for an average of 14.4 yards per catch and a best of 56 yards.
Knowles’ best game of the season came when he set a new career high in receptions with eight catches for 99 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass in the Hokies’ 15-10 win on the road over the East Carolina Pirates. He earned the game ball from Beamer for his performance.
Knowles hauled in five passes for 67 yards in a 17-10 win over Georgia Tech, four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown, five receptions for 79 yards in a 19-9 win over the Pittsburgh Panthers and in the game when the streak ended he totalled four catches for 69 yards in a 13-10 loss to Duke.
He caught his third touchdown of the season in Virginia Tech’s 42-24 win on the road over the Miami Hurricanes with two receptions for 25 yards, including the 19-yard score.
Knowles also made an impact in the return game with 22 returns for 480 yards, including an 88-yarder in a 27-24 loss to Maryland.
As a freshman he caught 19 passes for 240 yards and one touchdown. He made the transition from a return specialist to the top receiving options in the Hokies’ offence.
His biggest impact came on special teams where he returned 21 kickoffs for 595 yards and one touchdown, an avergae 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.
Knowles, the native Grand Bahamian, son of Keith and Jackie Knowles, was a two-sport star throughout high school in football and track and field and has excelled in both sports at the collegiate ranks.
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