Southern Miss QB Ethan Hampton: 'Every Day Is A Consistent Pursuit of Getting Better'

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – As we inch closer to the start of the college football season, several questions surrounding Southern Miss football need to be answered before things kick off on the first weekend of September at The Rock. One of the biggest and most important questions looming is: Who will be the Golden Eagles' starting quarterback on opening night?

The answer to that question is still being worked out as the team heads into fall camp later this month, but redshirt-senior transfer Ethan Hampton is certainly in the running for the Golden Eagles' quarterback competition, along with redshirt-sophomore John White and redshirt-senior Landry Lyddy. This week, Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI caught up with Hampton to learn more about him and gauge how things have progressed for this football team since spring training.

Choosing Southern Miss

USM football, Ethan Hampton — Southern Miss QB Ethan Hampton poses during a photoshoot. | Southern Miss Athletics

After only appearing in four games for Illinois in 2025, Hampton entered the transfer portal and decided to spend his final year of eligibility at Southern Miss. He credits first-year head coach Blake Anderson and his staff's plan to build a strong culture as a big reason why he wanted to come to Hattiesburg.

"My first impression of Southern Miss was how close the coaching staff was, and I could see the culture that they were trying to build," Hampton tells Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI.

Although Hampton didn't get much playing time at Illinois, he has experience as a starting quarterback. In 2024, Hampton started 10 games for Northern Illinois as a redshirt-sophomore, completing 144-of-247 passes for 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns. His biggest highlight from that season was leading NIU to a massive upset over No. 5 Notre Dame on the road, completing 198 passing yards and one touchdown in the 16-14 win.

The coaching staff's plan for setting a strong culture was one thing, but another obvious reason Hampton chose Southern Miss was the opportunity to come in and compete for the starting quarterback spot.

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

Southern Miss Football Improving Day-By-Day

When the Golden Eagles got together for the first time during the spring, Coach Anderson was pretty blunt about just how far this team had to go in order to get to where they want to be, which is competing for a Sun Belt Conference championship. So, with fall camp up next, how far has this Southern Miss roster progressed since March?

"I think we’ve taken great leaps since we first arrived here in the winter/spring, but we as a team recognize we still have a long way to go," Hampton said.

"Every day is a consistent pursuit of getting better. I think the offense has started to click a lot from the end of spring to where we're at now in the middle of the summer. I’m excited to see the growth we have during fall camp and put it on display this season for all of our fans."

Whether it's Hampton, White, or Lyddy who ends up winning the starting quarterback position, it's hard to imagine an offense led by Coach Anderson and offensive coordinator Kyle Cefalo struggling to put up points, even with a roster that ranks near the bottom of the country in overall experience.

More Things to Know About Hampton

"Something to know about me as a player is that every time I step on the field, when that final whistle blows, know I gave everything I had out there," Hampton said when asked about what Golden Eagle fans should know about him as a newcomer. "When I’m on the field, I’m going to compete at the highest level I can."

Hampton values what happens on the field, as every good football player does, but he also understands how special it is to be a part of a band of brothers off the field. He's cherishing those moments as he enters his final year of college football.

"Off the field, I’m just a regular guy," Hampton said. "I love enjoying some time away on the golf course and spending time with the guys. The brotherhood you have on a football team is unlike anything else you will experience the rest of your life, so I want to enjoy it while I still can."

We're still about two months away from the start of the 2026 college football season, but the next thing you know, these guys will be running onto the field at The Rock with The Pride of Mississippi marching band playing their hearts out. The Black and Gold faithful will be cheering them on with a renewed sense of hope that comes along with the start of a new season and a new coaching era. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more USM football news in the coming weeks.

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