ORONO, Maine — The University of Maine’s Darius Greene isn’t one of those types of football players who gets noticed by the media very often.
It’s not because he isn’t a talented player. He is.
But the position he plays is one where you fly under the radar and don’t dominate the statistics.
Greene is a middle guard. Nose guard, if you prefer.
He lines up in a variety of different positions between the outside shoulders of offensive tackles.
His primary job is to congest the middle of the field and tie up offensive linemen so the linebackers and ends can make tackles. He also is asked to establish penetration to force the quarterback to hurry his passes.
He is often double-teamed.
The senior simply wants to win football games, and he knows if he does his job effectively, UMaine’s chances of winning are elevated.
Greene is looking forward to the home and Colonial Athletic Association opener against No. 11 James Madison at noon Saturday at Alfond Stadium.
“It’s the first conference game, and we want to get out with a win,” he said.
When asked what he enjoys about the position, his answer was decisive.
“I love everything about it. It’s one-on-one every time. You do the dirty work, and everybody else gets to look pretty and everything,” said Greene. “When I’m doing my job, everybody else is making plays, and it makes me feel good.”
One of the primary beneficiaries of Greene’s work up front is two-time All-CAA first-team linebacker Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga, who often lines up behind him.
“I’ve always called him my soldier,” said Tshimanga. “Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to make the plays I have. He always does a good job being physical up front.”
First-year UMaine head coach Joe Harasymiak called Greene a “coach’s dream.”
“He’s everything you would want in a kid. You’d want 90 of them on your team,” said Harasymiak. “He does everything right. You never have to worry about him not doing his job or not playing hard. He runs to the football, he’s making tackles down the field. As a defensive lineman, he fires you up as a coach.”
Harasymiak said Greene is one of the quietest kids on the team, “but he exemplifies what Maine football is through his play.”
Defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman called Greene consistent and reliable.
“He is never out of place. He plays with great technique and high effort, no matter if it is in practice or in a game,” said Hetherman. “He goes 100 miles an hour all the time.”
Greene takes pride in those traits.
“You always have to give that effort,” he said. “Effort isn’t something somebody teaches you. It comes from your heart.”
Greene, a 6-foot-2, 273-pound native of Medford, New York, is aware of how important his job is and what is necessary to be successful in the trenches.
“You have to be hard-nosed, you have to be tough and you have to focus on doing your job. If you don’t do your job, nobody else can really do their job to their full ability,” he said.
He is always striving to improve and feels his technique and understanding of the game have gotten better.
“He’s very, very good with his hands. He’s violent with his hands, which is key for a defensive lineman,” said Harasymiak.
Hetherman said Greene has become a more effective pass rusher this season thanks to his improved technique.
“He is constantly commanding double-teams and [combination] blocks, which keeps our linebackers free so they can go and do their jobs,” said Hetherman.
Greene was named UMaine’s defensive lineman of the year last season after making 24 tackles, including 1½ for a loss of yardage. He had 33 the previous year (four for a loss) and logged 14 tackles in 2013.
Greene comes from a sports-minded family. His father, Stefan, played football in high school and his mother, Tanya, was a basketball player and cheerleader.
He began playing football when he was 6 or 7 and was a hybrid linebacker/lineman. He loved the sport from the outset.
Greene was chosen for several all-star teams as a defensive end at Longwood High School. He also won the Zellner Award given to most outstanding lineman in Suffolk County.
He was moved from end to nose guard at UMaine so he could play alongside Pat Ricard, who is a first-team all-conference end.
Greene said he chose UMaine because he “fell in love with the family aspect” of the program.
“The brotherhood … everybody gelled together, and I really appreciated that,” said Greene, who is in his fifth season.
“I’m definitely going to miss it. I’m glad I got my opportunity to play,” he said.