OXFORD — It was one of the first practices of preseason camp and Randall Joyner had a message for his group.

The Ole Miss defensive line coach noticed the intense north Mississippi heat was taking its toll on his players as the finish line of the practice neared. The Rebels’ defensive linemen were working on a get-off drill, one that requires players to watch the football and explode former at the center’s snap.

Maybe attention was lagging. Maybe the intensity wasn’t what Joyner wanted. Regardless, he stopped the drill briefly and reminded players that criticism wasn’t personal. That said, Joyner said, the standard was what it was and it wasn’t going to be lowered just because it was hot and the day was almost done.

It was a message that resonated with Ole Miss defensive tackle Josh Harris, who transferred to the Rebels from North Carolina State in January. Harris, who recorded 28 tackles and a quarterback sack in four seasons for the Wolfpack, appears poised to play a big role for Ole Miss this fall.

“I feel like it all starts with our coach, Coach Joyner,” Harris said. "He holds us to a high standard and at times, it can get irritating, but in the back of my head, I’m like, ‘I need it. Keep it going.’

“He has this thing called, ‘Better your best.’ His standard is so high. That’s why I came here. From the jump, we had a meeting on my official visit and he was so energized and so enthusiastic and he never changes. He’s the same person every day. If he can do that every day, it makes the guys in the room (think), ‘Why not be the same way?’ …I feel like all the guys just buy into it and we just play our tails off.”

Harris, a 6-foot-4, 328-pounder, is a run-stopping specialist who is working to become a better pass rusher and “take my game to the next level and get ready for the league.”

Harris knows Joyner came to Ole Miss from Ohio State, where he worked for Larry Johnson Sr., widely considered one of the top defensive line coaches in the country.

“He knows the techniques to do,” Harris said of Joyner. “So if I just buy into it, I feel like it’s helping.”

With Ole Miss’ Sept. 2 opener versus Mercer approaching, Harris is also still finding his role on his new team. After four years in Raleigh, he admitted it’s both different and liberating to be in a new environment.

“At NC State, I had been there for a long time, so I feel like more of a vet and more of a leader,” Harris said. “Here, I’m not very vocal. I just kind of do what I do. I’m not as open and talkative as I used to be. As far as playing-wise, I feel like I’m down to 328. I lost some weight. In the spring, I feel like I was a little heavier. I feel like my pass-rushing game has improved a lot. That was something I struggled with at NC State. My run-blocking ability has definitely gotten better. I’m able to take on double-teams and be stronger in there.

“A lot guys at State just saw me as a big teddy bear, but when it’s on the field, it’s different. Here, a lot of guys see me as an older guy who has two kids and who has been playing football for a long time. They see me hopefully as a leader.”