There is plenty of inspiration to be taken from his former running mates.

“It shows you can make it to the NFL out of JMU,” James Madison senior defensive tackle Mike Greene said.

Last month, former Dukes defensive ends Ron’Dell Carter and John Daka signed undrafted free agent contracts. Carter, a consensus All-American last year, inked with the Dallas Cowboys, and Daka, the 2019 FCS leader in sacks and tackles for loss, signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Cowboys won a bidding war for Carter, whose deal included $145,000 in guaranteed money, according to the Dallas Morning News.

“It was amazing,” Greene said. “Seeing those guys go through this, they deserve so much because they worked so hard for it. They got amazing contracts. Ron’Dell’s contract isn’t even an undrafted contract. He got like a sixth-round contract.”

Carter and Daka earned and demanded plenty of attention this past fall. But Greene had success, too, and put together an effort that could be considered slightly overshadowed by the now-pro pass rushers.

Greene racked up 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and tallied 7.5 sacks, and the last is no simple feat from the interior of the defensive line.

“It was a lot of film watching and then also communicating with our defensive ends,” Greene said of tracking down opposing quarterbacks. “We work together on a lot of plays and a lot of games, so being on the same page all across the board, and it’s just wanting to get to the quarterback as much as you can. Having your hands down and eyes right all plays a part when it comes to rushing the passer, and I learned that from [former defensive tackles coach Andrew] Jackson and all the new coaches last season.

“But it was just having that drive to get to the quarterback, that’s what it was.”

Now, he’s dealing with an offseason unlike any other – spring football was canceled due to coronavirus and he’s had to work out at home in Highland Springs.

Greene said he is doing his best to keep sharp in order to be ready for when the Dukes can return to Harrisonburg, so he can lead the defense and have an even more productive season in 2020.

“Right before the quarantine, my mom went out and bought a bench for my brother,” Greene said. His brother, Malcolm Greene, is a Clemson signee.

“So it was like the perfect purchase right before quarantine,” Mike Greene said. “So I have a bench and all kinds of football stuff to work with at home and I’ve got my brother to work with, too, and that adds competition and someone to work out with at the same time.”

And the 6-foot-3, 285-pounder said he knows he’ll likely see more double teams this coming fall without Carter and Daka on the edges, and that he’ll have to shed those guard-center or guard-tackle combinations to get to the quarterback like he did last year.

“I think so, but I know [defensive coordinator Corey] Hetherman has different ways to attract double teams and get double teams away, too,” Greene said. “So I know he has the perfect scheme for whatever we have coming our way. I’m confident this year will be a good year as well.”

DraftScout.com ranks Greene as the 48th best defensive tackle prospect for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The 2019 third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association choice also switched his number from No. 92 to No. 3 for his senior season. He said he’s always wanted to wear a single-digit number.

Daka gave up No. 97 for No. 7 for his senior year and Carter wore No. 15 previously before switching to No. 5.

“Last year I was going to switch to number three,” Greene said, “and then [Brandon] Polk came in and got it. But after the championship, Coach [Curt] Cignetti asked me if I still wanted to switch my number and I said yes, because being a defensive lineman, I never have worn a single-digit number, so I went in and switched.”

A product of Highland Springs High School, Greene had nine scholarship offers, he said, including FBS opportunities with Cincinnati and Marshall. But he was mostly interested in Navy, Richmond and JMU before deciding on the Dukes.

He said it didn’t matter to him what level of football the school played as long as he thought he could eventually reach his goals, which include a shot at the NFL.

“JMU was the best school for me,” Greene said.