Garrett Greene knows the Frisco Bowl against Memphis will be his last chance to ever put on a West Virginia uniform.
For Greene, his focus is on wrapping up a career while hoping he's seen as someone who is remembered for the effort and intensity he brought to the gridiron.
West Virginia ended the season on the wrong side of a blowout loss to Texas Tech. Following the game, Greene's mindset immediately went to wanting one more game to play with his team, and he'll get that game against Memphis.
"I think in the back of some guys' minds, it's obviously there because obviously Texas Tech just wasn't good enough. The performance we all put out there, me included, just wasn't good enough, and for me personally, I don't want that to be my last experience I have playing," Greene said.
Greene will play in his 45th game as a Mountaineer against the Tigers in the bowl game, and he's been part of some memorable moments as the starting quarterback.
Greene said one of the moments he will take with him forever is the bowl game last year, which started with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Traylon Ray.
"Probably the one that sticks out the most just because we're in that season is the first play of the bowl game last year, I think that was pretty cool. Coach [Tyler Allen], he told me the whole week it was going to be a huge play... kind of that one because we kind of knew the whole week, really a couple weeks leading up to the game, that the first play of the game was going to be a huge one," Greene said.
Throughout Greene's tenure at West Virginia, there have been ups and downs, riding the rollercoaster of the dual-threat quarterback. Greene said he hopes fans remember his toughness and him giving his all to his team.
"Just as a guy who played his [butt] off for his teammates, his university, the state. I think if people just say that about me, I'll be happy," Greene said.
The scope of this being the final time Greene suits up in college hasn't quite set in yet, he said. He's starting to slowly take things out of his locker as well as pack up some things in his Morgantown home.
"It's starting to hit me a little bit, but I'm really just kind of focused on doing my job against Memphis and kind of handling all that stuff later," Greene said.
While Greene's legacy at West Virginia will be one that is like a rollercoaster ride with highs and lows, good and bad, he said he has no regrets entering the final week as a student-athlete.
"I think that's the only way you can really live life is I don't want to be 80 years old and have regrets on any part of my life. These last five years, I don't have any regrets obviously would have liked to played better in some moments and win some more games and do all that, but that's just natural. I prepare my [butt] off every week mentally, football-wise, and then physically, I did everything I could," Greene said.
As far as what being a Mountaineer meant to Greene, it's about the value of hard work, bringing that blue-collar mentality that he says so many in the state of West Virginia hold.
"I think it's deeper than just football. I think it's an entire attitude and outlook on life, really. This state is built on blue-collar, hard-working people that really aren't going to take no for an answer, and they're going to keep fighting for themselves, their family. I think something like that, no matter what happens with my life, I'll always have that DNA and that kind of factor with me that no matter what happens, I'm going to keep fighting," Greene said.
----------
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan, @wesleyshoe
