Hokies Wide Receivers Demitri Knowles and Kevin Asante Vie for Role in Final Season

Demitri Knowles and Kevin Asante have been tied together since the beginning.

"We both push each other to the limit because we came here together," Asante said.

That was four years ago.

Time is now dwindling for the receiving duo from the Virginia Tech football team's 2011 recruiting class, whose paths have both taken ill-fated turns.

Asante's absence in 2013, following two seasons with the program, was spent manning the drive-thru at Taco Bell.

"I was working the drive-thru cause, you know, good looks," Asante said.

The redshirt senior joked about the irony of those he saw pull through.

"I would love to shout 'em out," Asante gleamed. "I've seen the strength and conditioning coaches. They're always preaching about us getting lean. They're cheating a little. I've seen (Senior Director of Athletic Performance, Jarrett Ferguson)."

Asante noted that other frequent visitors from the team included guards Augie Conte and Wyatt Teller, as well as tight end Bucky Hodges and wide receiver Deon Newsome.

The days of bagging burritos, however, have given way to a renewed sense of focus for the Charlotte, North Carolina, native.

"This year is both our senior years so we're not going down without a fight," Asante said.

For fellow senior Demitri Knowles, a 641-yard receiving season in 2013 gave way to a redshirt junior season hindered by a high ankle sprain and the emergence of young wideouts Isaiah Ford and Cam Phillips.

Knowles admits, however, that the inability to rely on his speed alone allowed him to shore up weaker parts of his game.

"My blocking game got better and getting off press coverage," he said. "Getting hurt I was able to work on other things."

Often maligned as a one-trick pony for only having great speed, Knowles' new position coach admires his dedication and improvement.

"Demitri Knowles is a fast kid," said first-year wide receivers Coach Zohn Burden. "He's improving and being more physical in the run game so that's going to allow the pass game to open up. He's a guy who can run by you. He's doing it out there. He's making big plays out there. These guys are coming along."

Asante sees similar things in his longtime teammate.

"I see a little vengeance in (Knowles) this year," he said. "He's really trying to perfect his craft. I'm seeing changes in him. He's working harder than what I've seen."

Knowles caught just three passes for 55 yards in 11 games after his career-best redshirt sophomore season.

Noting that the high ankle sprain was a nagging injury from which he finally feels healthy, Knowles reflected on the frustration of a lost season and the resolve to re-establish himself despite the record-setting newcomers.

"Last year I had a good spring and I was excited about the season and I got hurt summer session II and I was horrible timing," Knowles said with a reluctant grin. "And I never really got to bounce back from it. It was a real tough experience.

"I don't take things for granted anymore. I don't think it's going to be a problem for me to step up. I did it the year before (Cam and Isaiah) came. Once I can do what the coaches want me to do it shouldn't be a problem at all."

Knowles suggests his rapport with his new coach is strong.

"I'm really starting to buy into techniques (Burden) is teaching us," he said. "It's exciting. You get out in the scrimmage and the stuff he's saying is actually working. You go out and want to do your own thing but once you buy into it it's like you see the fruits of your labor."

One of those fruits shone forth in last Saturday's scrimmage when Knowles was on the receiving end of a long touchdown reception from Brenden Motley. It was called back, but it didn't escape Burden's notice.

"(Knowles) has made some big plays in practice and the last scrimmage," Burden said. "It was great to see guys make plays and build more confidence. Having something to build off of is huge for us."

Knowles and Asante will have their work cut out for them in their remaining days of spring and final summer.

Aside from his two seniors, Burden noted that Deon Newsome and Jaylen Bradshaw have been limited with lower body injuries. Newsome is nursing a hamstring injury and Bradshaw is just "banged up."

Burden also referenced the improvement of quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-running back-turned-receiver, Joel Caleb.

"Joel's coming along tremendously," Burden said. "He's still learning the position. Wide receiver is a physical position and he's a physical guy so he's got that down pat. He's just trying to learn the offense and the pass game part of it."

However the depth chart finally shakes out, Burden suggests that there will be opportunities to be had by many.

"We have eight or nine guys right now; hopefully it'll be 10 to 11," he said. "You want all those guys to feel like they have a role. You want them to have a role. They'll get out there with some confidence and carry it out to the game."