Kavon Bellamy is listed as a running back, but battering ram might better describe his role for the Virginia State University Trojans.

He pounds and pounds until he gets where he wants to go.

The senior from Hampton leads the CIAA in rushing and, not coincidentally, the Trojans are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 1997.

Following a 20-7 victory last Saturday over Kentucky State University in the rain and mud in Frankfort, Ky., the Trojans head to Winston-Salem State University on Saturday, Sept. 24, with hopes of going 4-0 under first-year Coach Reggie Barlow.

This will be VSU’s first game against Winston-Salem State since defeating the Rams for the CIAA title in 2014. They haven’t met during the regular season since 2005.

Winston-Salem State is the defending CIAA champion, but a wobbly 1-2 this season after a home loss last Saturday to Virginia Union University.

VSU’s victory trifecta has come from playing non-conference schools — at Lenoir-Rhyne University of North Carolina, at home against Tusculum College of Tennessee and at Kentucky State University.

Now the Trojans need to take care of business within the CIAA. Four of the Trojans final six games will be at Rogers Stadium, starting Oct. 1 against Livingstone College. VSU’s homecoming is Oct. 22 against Lincoln University.

However, pivotal games against Bowie State and Virginia Union universities — the CIAA teams to defeat VSU a year ago — will be played away from Ettrick.

Bellamy’s uniform was easily the muddiest on the field last Saturday in Kentucky. By the fourth quarter, his No. 5 jersey was impossible to read as he carried 25 times for 116 yards and his third and fourth touchdowns of the season.

Down and dirty was fine for Bellamy, a no-nonsense runner who prefers to plow over defenders rather than get around them. 

“They just lined up and played smash-mouth football,” said well-traveled Kentucky State coach John L. Smith.

Coach Smith is a former head coach at Weber State, Idaho, Utah State, Arkansas, Louisville, Michigan State and Fort Lewis. He was Big 10 Coach of the Year at Michigan State in 2004.

After missing a share of 2015 with a gimpy ankle, Bellamy, a former linebacker, has been full strength this season, with the statistics to verify it.

Individually, he is atop the CIAA with an average of 111.3 rushing yards. As a unit, VSU leads the CIAA by a wide margin with 247.7 yards per outing.  

Bellamy has 335 seasonal yards, followed by Trenton Cannon with 200.

After three games, VSU has rushed 729 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry compared to opponents’ 285 yards and 2.4 yards per carry.

Third-year starting quarterback Tarian Ayres has thrown just 50 passes through three games. In the deep mud at Frankfort, he tossed for just 12 yards.

Geo Feggins again led the VSU defense with 13 tackles. Bryant Frazier and Brandon Lynch added nine tackles each and Bryce Bradley had an interception.

Under first-year defensive coordinator Dwone Sanders, VSU has limited foes to a total of 26 points and an average of only 201 yards total offense.