CHAPEL HILL - Following one season at Ole Miss, defensive tackle Joshua Harris is returning to the Tar Heel State to finish his career with North Carolina.
Harris, who committed to UNC in April, spent four seasons at NC State before transferring to Mississippi for the 2023 season.
With the Rebels, Harris saw action in all 13 games, logging 136 total snaps. His season-high in snaps came against Georgia, where he logged 26 plays.
The Roxboro, NC, native recorded a season-high 13 tackles and four hurries in 2023.
For his career, Harris has appeared in 51 games tallying 60 tackles and one sack. He has amassed double digit tackles and over 120 snaps each of the last three seasons, providing another veteran presence along the defensive line for UNC and defensive coordinator Geoff Collins.
Out of high school, Harris was ranked No. 143 overall in the class of 2019, and initially picked NC State over UNC.
Harris met with a few members of the media Monday at the Kenan Football Center, breaking down his decision to transfer to Chapel Hill and what he brings to the Tar Heel defense in his final season of eligibility.
Here is a partial transcript from what he had to say:
Q: How does a guy go from Raleigh to Oxford to Chapel Hill?
HARRIS: “I committed to NC State out of high school, [they were] my first offer. I was always up there. It was a nice place. I felt like Ineeded a new home [and] more opportunities. I had two kids. My son, he’s one, Joshua Harris Jr. and my daughter, she’s two. I feel like I needed more to get myself to the league. I feel like I needed more opportunities [and] went to Ole Miss…. I feel like I needed to come back home. UNC was the place for me.I talked to a bunch of other schools [and] Mack Brown was definitely the guy who stood out. The way he talks to his players and walks around the building, always smiling and always making sure you’re good.”
Q: Was NC State an option coming back?
HARRIS: “I mean yeah, they were in the works. They were talking about it and it was something that was out there, but I didn’t even go visit. This was my first visit when I hit the portal and I didn’t need to go anywhere else. This was home [and] perfect for me.”
Q: What were some of the takeaways that you had from Ole Miss and playing in the SEC and on that stage?
HARRIS: “Being there for that year, playing for Pete Golden, who came from Alabama, he was just so wise, like everything he talked about in the meeting room. He was able to break down film really good. I learned how to really watch film and do different things that I didn’t know how to do at first. I took a deeper dive into pass rushing and breaking down defense. The coaches I had there were really good and the players as well, just being around the SEC.”
Q: What are your biggest takeaways interacting with Ted Monachino and Geoff Collins?
HARRIS: “When I was getting recruited, I talked with Ted (Monachino) and he was telling me about his whole experience and how he’s been coaching. His background is perfect. He’s able for me to just do this one more year, tweak up my mistakes I got on film and prepare me because that’s what he’s done. He’s prepared guys for the next level. Coach Collins, he’s a great guy. He always brings energy, always brings fire. He’s definitely a great guy as well.”
Q: Did it help that they may know your game here better than some of the other places you may have visited?
HARRIS: “Oh for sure. (Coach Collins) broke down my film with me when I was getting recruited so he knows the type of player I am. I feel like I’ve developed over this last spring. For the spring at Ole Miss, I feel like I broke out a little bit and got out of my comfort zone and showed what type of player I was. I went through the whole spring knowing that I’m about to get out of here and I gotta go back home. I need to help my family.
Q: How are you different now? What would people who have paid close attention to your game see now that maybe they didn’t before?
HARRIS: “I’m quicker. My footwork is better and I’m able to pass rush better. I’m able to use my hands more in pass rushing. I’ve been a run stopper, I’ve been able to take on blocks, but I’m better at getting off of those blocks now and making plays. I’m excited, especially with this defense we got now, the plays are made for us up front to make big plays.”
