As the dynamic Dinwiddie High quarterback, K’ymon Pope was all about leading his team into the end zone.

Now as the Virginia State University roving safety, he’s all about keeping rival squads out of the end zone.

The script flipped once Pope made the 16.5-mile trek north from Dinwiddie to Rogers Stadium in Ettrick.

“When I got here there were eight other quarterbacks (including incumbent starter Cordelral Cook); I was the ninth,” he recalled.

“I just wanted to play. It was like a business decision to move to defense – best for me and the team.”

The versatile 6-foot-1, 210-pound athlete was redshirted as a freshman in 2019. The entire 2020 season was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now a graduate transfer with a degree in accounting and finance, Pope is in his third autumn as a ringleader in the Trojans’ secondary.

Pope wears jersey No. 10 (a QB’s number), the same number he wore at Dinwiddie in four glorious seasons passing and throwing the pigskin under coach Billy Mills.

As the Generals’ QB, Pope passed for 3,740 yards and 35 touchdowns and ran for 2,396 yards and 41 TDs. His total offense (counting kick returns) of 6,164 ranks among the highest in state annals.

He was Class 4, Region B Offensive Player of the Year as a senior and drew recruiting interest from the likes of North Carolina State and Georgia Tech.

“K’ymon is heady. He’s intense. And he’s a team leader,” said second year Coach Henry Frazier III.

“He stops the run and is solid on pass coverage. Whatever we need is what he does.”

Through four games Pope was third on the team with 18 tackles, including 15 solo. A season ago he was third with 41 tackles, including 22 for losses.

Pope’s mother is Leticia Smith and his older brother, K’Vaughan, was an All-State linebacker at Dinwiddie who went on to play at Ohio State and Ten- nessee State.

His first cousin on his mother’s side is Harry Dalton, the current quarterback sensation for defending State Class 4 champion Dinwiddie.

Another cousin, Daniel “Marquis” Smith, is a VSU freshman wide receiver after starring for Dinwiddie.

With another season of eligibility after this, K’ymon will pursue graduate studies the next two years.

Between classes and football, he’s also working at the Petersburg YMCA in membership and assisting in the weight room. He also is the parliamentarian for VSU’s Student Athletic Committee.

In his four seasons as Dinwiddie QB (three as starter), Pope helped the Generals to a 45-8 overall record featuring a state runner-up finish in 2016.

No. 10 in Dinwiddie Red, White and Navy proved himself an offensive standout. Now No. 10 in Orange & Blue is making an impact as a defender.