Southern Miss’ 3-Way Quarterback Competition Takes Center Stage in Fall Camp

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss will begin fall camp on August 4, and according to first-year head coach Blake Anderson, this could be one of the most important camps the Golden Eagles have had in a long time. With more than 70 new players, a new coaching staff, and multiple position battles taking place across the roster, Anderson knows there is plenty to figure out before the season begins.

One of the biggest question marks for the Golden Eagles in 2026 will be at the quarterback position, where Landry Lyddy (R-Sr.), John White (R-So.) and Ethan Hampton (R-Sr.) enter fall camp in a three-way battle for the starting job. Southern Miss will open the 2026 season with a new starting quarterback for the 10th time since the beginning of the 2012 campaign. Here's a quick look at all three, plus some insight from Coach Anderson ahead of fall camp.

Lyddy Brings Most 'In-House' Experience

USM, Southern Miss Football, Landry Lyddy — Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Landry Lyddy (18) looks to pass against the Texas State Bobcats at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss, on Nov. 15, 2025. | Matt Bush/Special to the Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lyddy is the most experienced returning quarterback for the Golden Eagles. The redshirt senior from Stonewall, Louisiana, appeared in six games last season and completed 34-of-52 passes for 406 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions.

In a game at Arkansas State on Nov. 8, 2025, that, at the time, was to determine which team would be in first place in the Sun Belt West Division, Lyddy stepped in for a hobbled Braylon Braxton and provided a major spark, completing 4-of-6 passes for 128 yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in Southern Miss' thrilling 27-21 win.

White Shows Major Improvement from Last Year to Now

USM, Southern Miss, John White — Southern Miss QB John White looks on at spring camp. | Southern Miss Athletics

White, a redshirt sophomore from West, Mississippi, appeared in one game last season and attempted one pass. Although he doesn't have the overall experience that the other two candidates in this race have, Coach Anderson had nothing but positive things to say about how much White had improved during the spring, going as far as to say that it wouldn't shock him if White ended up winning the starting gig.

"I put myself in a really good spot going into spring practice," White told Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI. "Once practice began, all that hard work really showed. It made such a huge difference and was really cool to see throughout the spring."

Hampton Arguably Has the Best Resume of the Three Candidates

USM, Southern Miss, Ethan Hampton — Southern Miss QB Ethan Hampton targets an open receiver during the Golden Eagles' Spring Game. | Southern Miss Athletics

Hampton enters this quarterback competition after transferring from Illinois, where he didn't see much playing time. The redshirt senior from Elburn, Illinois, previously started at Northern Illinois, where he threw for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns in 11 games during the 2024 season. He also helped lead Northern Illinois to an upset victory over No. 5 Notre Dame.

"The reason I chose Southern Miss had a lot to do with (culture), and the fact that I believed in the vision the coaches had for this program," Hampton told Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI. "I was also presented with a great opportunity to come in and compete for the starting job."

Coach Anderson on the 'Neck-and-Neck' Race

Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI at Sun Belt Football Media Day in New Orleans. | Josh House

Despite their differing experiences, Anderson said all three quarterbacks have remained close throughout the offseason, as noted during Sun Belt Football Media Day last week.

“I don’t know that very many programs have three guys that are neck and neck and neck,” Anderson said. “I’ve never been a part of a one-two-three battle that is this close this late going into fall camp.”

Anderson said the statistics between Lyddy, White and Hampton have been almost identical. They have received similar opportunities, made similar mistakes, and each made a strong case to become the starter. Because the competition is so close, the final decision could come down to leadership and which quarterback the rest of the team chooses to follow.

“It may be as simple as who they choose,” Anderson said. “Who do they follow? Who do they really gravitate towards?”

The quarterback battle is only one part of a much larger evaluation taking place at Southern Miss.

Anderson Pleased with Progress He's Seen Since Spring

When Southern Miss on SI’s Dalton Trigg asked Anderson which position group had made the most progress since spring practice, Anderson pointed toward the development of the entire team rather than naming one specific group. With so many new players coming together, Anderson and his staff have focused on building a team that works hard, plays with energy, and puts the team ahead of individual success.

“I’m just really pleased with just the overall work capacity and the attitude,” Anderson said. “I think it starts there with culture. There’s something to be said for there’s no entitlement in the building. There’s nobody that can have this complacency of, ‘I’ve arrived,’ or, ‘I’m a preseason this,’ or, ‘I’m a starter.’ Everybody is just going to work together.”

Anderson's Goals for Fall Camp

That mentality will be important when the team takes the field for fall camp because Anderson said very few positions have been settled. In previous seasons, fall camp may have been about keeping established starters healthy and preparing them for the season opener. This year, Southern Miss will use camp to identify its starters, build its depth chart, and continue developing its identity under Anderson.

“We’re still identifying every position, including quarterback,” Anderson said. “At no point in my career has fall camp been more important for that purpose, to figure out who we really are and have a possibility to be. ... (So) we don’t know yet, and we’re not going to know for a little bit.”

For Lyddy, White, and Hampton, fall camp will provide the biggest opportunity yet to separate themselves and prove they should lead the Golden Eagles into the 2026 season. For Southern Miss as a whole, August will be about discovering what this new-look team can become.

Even with so many new faces and unanswered questions, Anderson believes this team has the opportunity to surprise people in 2026.

“I think they’ll tell you," Anderson said, "the energy in the building is, ‘Why not us? Why not right now?’”

We will all see what takes place when the Golden Eagles kick off their 2026 season on September 5 at 4 p.m. at The Rock in Hattiesburg. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more preseason football coverage in the coming days and weeks.

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