OXFORD — Lakia Henry arrived in Oxford in late May, knowing full well he won’t have the benefit of an adjustment period.

The junior college transfer linebacker will be tasked to play _ and play well _ immediately at Ole Miss this fall.

So Henry dove into the playbook, cram-studied film and went about the process of getting himself ready. He will be on the practice field Friday morning when Ole Miss begins fall camp, with its collective eyes pointing to the season opener Aug. 31 at Memphis.

“I’ve been in the playbook more than I have ever at any program I’ve been a part of because of the difficulty of it,” Henry said. “I’ve been working harder too. That’s what I’ve been doing to help myself.”

Henry chose Ole Miss in February after a recruiting process that included Arkansas and Texas making strong, late runs.

“When I sat back down and thought about the recruiting process and how Ole Miss recruited me and how long they’d been recruiting me, it was a no-brainer,” Henry said. “And then the depth chart, I knew I was needed and not just wanted. That really helped sway my decision.”

Henry, a 6-foot-2, 230-pounder from Vidalia, Georgia, played last season at Dodge City (Kansas) Community College. He knows there is going to be an adjustment to the Southeastern Conference, but he also knows he doesn’t have the benefit of time to make the adjustment.

“I’ve got to come in here and go,” Henry said. “That’s what they’re expecting. It’s really exciting. It’s not overwhelming. I don’t feel stressed or any of that. I know it’s something I have to do. It’s what I was brought here for. It’s something I look forward to doing, too.”

Henry has been having meetings with inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz. New defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre has dropped into some of those meetings, Henry said, and those interactions have been enlightening.

“He’s asked me questions and made sure I have everything down,” Henry said. “He’s a really good teacher. I feel like our coaching staff is a really good coaching staff. They encourage us. They motivate us. They’re on us pretty hard but I know it’s all out of love. That’s going to prepare us to be a much better team.”

Henry will be competing against MoMo Sanogo, Willie Hibbler, Jacquez Jones, Donta Evans, Zikerrion Baker and Eric Jeffries for playing time this month. Should he earn it, he’ll likely see significant time at Memphis in the opener. That, Henry said, will be a dream come true.

“I think about it every night,” Henry said. “It’s exciting. It gives me chills every time. Just keeping my head level is really going to be the main thing. I can’t get overwhelmed by all those people. That’s going to be the only thing for me that I feel like could be a distraction. Besides that, I’m excited.”