A pair of its ex-defensive ends are onto the NFL, but by no means is James Madison’s defensive line bare.

The interior of the Dukes’ front is a clear strength for the unit.

“Having two senior defensive tackles is pretty important when I look at our football team and our defense,” JMU coach Curt Cignetti said.

Upperclassmen Adeeb Atariwa and Mike Greene enter their senior campaigns with a combined 52 career starts between them. Those veterans are the first concern for any opposing offensive line trying to create space for a running back to run through against the Dukes’ defense.

Here’s a closer look at what to expect from Atariwa, Greene and the rest of the position group during the 2020 season.

Returning Starters: senior Adeeb Atariwa, senior Mike Greene

Other Returners On Roster: r-junior Garrett Groulx, r-junior Semaj Sorhaindo, r-junior Isaac Ukwu, r-sophomore Antonio Colclough, r-sophomore Tony Thurston, r-sophomore Drake Tomasi, r-sophomore Mike Wilcox, sophomore Jalen Green, r-freshman Sean Johns, r-freshman Carlo Jones, r-freshman Joe Worman

Newcomers: r-sophomore Abi N-Okonji (Minnesota), freshman Mikail Kamara, freshman Tyler Negron, freshman Khurram Simpson

Position Coach: Corey Hetherman (ends – second season), Marcus Hall-Oliver (tackles – first season)

Synopsis: In 2019, Greene racked up 53 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries and a forced fumble, yet didn’t get the same due his former teammates Ron’Dell Carter and John Daka did.

Carter was the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year last fall and Daka led the FCS in sacks. They both were All-Americans, and Carter signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys following the NFL Draft. Daka did the same with the Baltimore Ravens.

“[Greene] gets overlooked as athletic as he is,” North Dakota State offensive line coach AJ Blazek said ahead of the FCS national championship game this past January. “People worry so much about the edge, they forget he’s in there.”

The spotlight this coming fall will be on Greene, who has already earned preseason All-American honors from Hero Sports and Phil Steele. He’ll be relied on heavily to slow the opposition’s rushing attack and provide a pass rush from the inside of the defensive line.

Under defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, also the defensive ends coach for JMU, the Dukes were third in all of FCS last year for rushing defense (74.8 rushing yards allowed per game). That success against the run, of course begins with Greene and Atariwa.

Atariwa had 52 tackles and 13 tackles for loss a year ago, and he’ll be expected to provide similar production and steadiness in his role this season.

Behind Greene and Atariwa, Garrett Groulx can serve as a quality understudy. Groulx earned a start last year in the postseason after Atariwa had a first-half suspension because of a targeting call made in the regular-season finale. It’s possible Tony Thurston can push for game snaps at that spot, too.

As far as replacing Carter and Daka, the responsibility will likely fall on a combination of sophomore Jalen Green and redshirt junior Isaac Ukwu.

Ukwu was in line for playing time heading into 2019, but suffered a knee injury during a preseason practice that sidelined him for the year.

“Isaac Ukwu should be ready to go for camp,” Cignetti said. “And it should just be a matter of whether he’s full speed on Day 1 or if we’ll ease him into things.”

It’s acceptable to believe Ukwu would’ve been the first defensive end off the bench last year if Carter or Daka needed to come off the field, but instead that job became Green’s because of Ukwu’s injury.

The former Washington Post All-Metro first-team choice and Good Counsel’s all-time leader for sacks, Green, showed he could play right away in college. As a freshman, Green tallied 14 tackles and two tackles for loss in a reserve role.

Ukwu and Green are going to have to earn starting jobs for this season, but they’ll be the favorites. Former Temple transfer Antonio Colclough should be in the mix, as should Minnesota import Abi N-Okonji.

The ends will work with Hetherman for a second consecutive season while the tackles will work with Marcus Hall-Oliver, a first-year assistant, who replaces former JMU defensive tackles coach Andrew Jackson after he left for Old Dominion earlier in the offseason.