Campbell, Myers Ready to Crack WVU Receiver Rotation - WVU Football, WVU Basketball, News - Mountaineer Sports

A glance at the West Virginia sideline last fall and the first question that came to mind when scanning over Dante Campbell and K.J. Myers was what on earth they were doing on the bench.

Based solely on the eye test, these freshmen were certainly ready for the game playing out before them.

Campbell, listed at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, was taller and heavier than any other receiver in the rotation and Myers was not far behind with his 6-foot-2, 201-pound frame.

But the old saying of the size of the fight in the dog won out, and both receivers were redshirted, keeping them off the field until year two in Morgantown.

"At first it was difficult not being able to play, but I knew in the end it would make me better, just watching them and being able to see the college atmosphere at least," Campbell says now.

Since they were each give the same task of scout team contribution and a view of the action they were not particularly fond of, Campbell and Myers decided the best way to work through it would be together.

With the other by their side, they could prepare for better days to come and bigger contributions to the program's success.

"That actually brought us really close," says Myers. "We're close friends now and we both went through the same thing and we helped each other get through it all – the workouts, all the tough workouts, Friday morning workouts and everything and just not being able to play on Saturdays. We sat out a full year of football. A whole year. And we made it and we're both here right now."

Where they are now is second on the depth chart at their respective positions. Myers is backing up junior receiver Stedman Bailey while Campbell finds himself behind one of college football's most dangerous weapons, Tavon Austin.

For the past year, they have watched Bailey, Austin and the other receivers who have taken reps ahead of them and learned plenty simply through observation. When the offseason came, it was time to put together the work to show the staff that they deserve a spot in the rotation.

"I didn't get the feel for the fast-paced college football thing yet. I wasn't using my size to my ability, but then the offseason came and that's when I started getting bigger and faster," says Campbell. "When my turn comes to get on the field, I've got to make plays."

Campbell had his first chance to do just that in the team's spring game, and he took advantage of his snaps as backup quarterback Paul Millard targeted him a number of times and eventually found him open in the end zone for the final score of the evening.

Both Myers and Campbell are using their size to their advantage by pushing around some of the smaller defensive backs this spring to show their dominance physically if given the opportunity.

The opportunity will present itself this year so long as they do not regress.

Head coach Dana Holgorsen and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson have said countless times that they want to field a receiving corps with eight able bodies. Campbell and Myers certainly fit in that description.

"Oh yeah, I feel like I'm going to play a lot," says Campbell.

Myers is feeling similarly confident that his number will be called and he will not let the chance to shine, or any footballs for that matter, slip through his fingers.

"This is what I've always been asking for and I ended up working my way to the top and the Lord really has blessed me and I'm very grateful," he says.

The work is not over, and both Campbell and Myers know this, but memories of a year ago will propel them through the summer months and remind them that the only way they can contribute on game day is to dominate in practice.

There will be plenty of eyes on them checking to be sure that they pass more than just the eye test for 2012.