Veteran Southern Miss QB Landry Lyddy Details Team Growth, Offensive Identity & More

Landry Lyddy showed some flashes under center last season, but he also had some learning moments. He believes that experience has made him a better leader for this year's squad as fall camp nears.

Southern Miss quarterback Landry Lyddy (18) scrambles in the backfield during a spring game at M.M. Roberts Stadium in Hattiesburg, Miss., on Saturday, April 18, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – With fall camp less than two weeks away, Southern Miss' three-man quarterback competition remains one of the biggest storylines surrounding the Golden Eagles heading into the 2026 season.

Being a quarterback with the most in-house experience in Southern Miss' quarterback room, redshirt-senior Landry Lyddy enters fall camp with a real chance to be the Golden Eagles' starting signal-caller, and he has embraced a larger leadership role within a roster filled with more than 75 newcomers. Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI recently caught up with Lyddy to talk about his growth from last year's experience, the team's newfound offensive identity, and establishing a great culture in a short amount of time.

Building Real Relationships & Learning From Experience

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

"From a leadership standpoint, I’ve been able to build real relationships with guys on both sides of the ball," Lyddy tells Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI. "So when those crucial moments come in the fall, we know we have each other’s back."

One of the biggest bright spots for Lyddy last year came in a 27-21 win over Arkansas State in early November, where he had to fill in for an injured Braylon Braxton for a good portion of the game and finished with 128 passing yards, one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown. Braxton eventually returned to finish the game, but the Golden Eagles, who, at the time, captured sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt West Division, wouldn't have been able to do so without Lyddy stepping in with his timely contributions.

"Last year had some highs as well as some learning moments for me," Lyddy said. "And all of those moments were crucial for my development going into this season."

Lyddy Details Expected High-Paced Offense & "No Egos" Culture

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. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Although there is a lot of familiarity with the offense, given that now-head coach Blake Anderson was the offensive coordinator last season, Lyddy says offensive coordinator Kyle Cefalo has already put his fingerprints on the Golden Eagles' new offense. The expectation is for the Southern Miss offense to be fast and score in bunches.

"There are definitely a few differences and additions that Coach Cef brings to the room," Lyddy said. "But overall, our identity is the same. We’re going to be fast. We’re going to protect the football and score a lot of points."

As preparations for the 2026 season continue over the next month and a half, the veteran quarterback believes the team's culture and growing chemistry have positioned Southern Miss to take a step forward, despite essentially having to "start from scratch" after Charles Huff left for Memphis last December.

"One thing about this team that stands out to me is the willingness to be coached and the desire to do the right thing," Lyddy said. "So naturally there’s a ton of growth. There’s not a lot of egos, and being humble is a great place to be when you’re trying to make 100 guys think the same way. That’s a testament to all the coaches and the strength staff. They’ve done a great job defining our culture, and the team has really taken that as our identity."

3-Way QB Competition Isn't Necessarily a Bad Thing

Southern Miss head coach Blake Anderson addresses the media at Sun Belt Media Days on July 16, 2026. | Josh House

Although some fans may view Southern Miss' three-way quarterback battle as a negative, given that it insinuates that there's no true standout at the position, we must remember that this offseason was an unprecedented situation for this program. With so many new faces, the chances of any of the most important positions being set before fall camp were already slim. Picking a starting quarterback isn't about talent alone; it's also about which guy shows the most impressive leadership qualities, and it takes time to identify and compare those things.

The Golden Eagles have three talented quarterbacks with slightly different skillsets to choose from, and before redshirt-sophomore John White showed up to spring camp showing major improvements (we'll have more on him early next week at Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI), the quarterback competition was initially believed to be between Lyddy and senior transfer Ethan Hampton. It shouldn't take long to have a better idea of which guy is the leader for that starting gig after fall camp gets underway.

“I’m just really pleased with the overall work capacity and the attitude,” Coach Anderson said. “I think it starts there with culture. There’s something to be said for there being no entitlement in the building. ... We’re still identifying every position, including quarterback. 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."

Southern Miss will begin that all-important fall camp on August 4. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more preseason football content during the remainder of the offseason and updates throughout fall camp.