HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Although it's officially game week for Southern Miss, head coach Blake Anderson still isn't quite ready to name his starting quarterback, but what started as a three-man race is now down to two.
Anderson confirmed following Tuesday's practice that the Golden Eagles are primarily deciding between Ethan Hampton and Landry Lyddy for the starting job, with John White currently sitting closely behind them in the third spot. Hampton also took another positive step physically as he continues working his way back from the bone bruise that interrupted his fall camp.
Ethan Hampton (5) and the other Southern Miss quarterbacks go through drills during a Saturday fall camp practice. | Josh House
Hampton has been the presumed leader for the starting quarterback job throughout the fall, but missing nearly two weeks of practice due to his hand injury kept Anderson from making any early decisions. The redshirt-senior transfer quarterback showed signs of nearing 100 percent again on Tuesday, though.
"Ethan's better. He's looking better every day. You saw some pop today, some power," Anderson said. "Today was a really good evaluation day just to see where he was and where things are, and we'll go back and watch the tape. Not ready to make a call."
Hampton indeed had more pop and power today, as he made several on-target throws at different lengths during Tuesday's practice, which is a vast improvement from where he was last week.
Quarterback John White (12) at one of Southern Miss' fall camp scrimmages. | Josh House
Anderson confirmed what we saw on Southern Miss' Week 1 depth chart on Monday, as redshirt-sophomore John White is settled in as a "close" third quarterback on the roster. However, Anderson still sees White as a future starter for this program as he continues to improve and gain experience.
"Man, I think everybody saw we've had a good conversation with John White, let him know that he, right now... he's a close three," Anderson said. "So we're just trying to decide between Ethan and Lyddy, and felt like we knew that for a while, but just out of respect for John, just wanting to make sure he stayed in the fight, and [he] really had a chance to maybe surpass either one of them late."
Despite receiving that news recently, Anderson says White continues to have a great attitude and is a great example of what a team-first player looks like.
Quarterbacks John White (12) and Landry Lyddy (18) warming up before a Southern Miss fall camp scrimmage. | Josh House
"Man, great attitude. Just love the way he comes with whatever the team needs. I'm really pleased with that," Anderson said. "That being said, I think he's got a great future. I [have] no doubt that guy [can] be a two-year starter for us here in the future, and I think he's doing a phenomenal job. So I don't want anybody to dismiss him at all. That's not the case. We just have a good room that's really competitive, and we're trying to make a solid choice."
With White now positioned at the No. 3 option, Anderson's decision has become simpler. Hampton continues to get healthier and show some of the consistency that has put him in the presumed leader position for the starting job, but Lyddy remains firmly in the race as Week 1 rolls on.
Anderson now has only a few more days to settle on which one will take the first snap of the 2026 season on Saturday against Alcorn State . If things go the way the Golden Eagles hope by creating a lot of separation on the scoreboard, perhaps all three quarterbacks could see some early-season action.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/southernmiss as Ethan Hampton Shows More 'Pop' as Southern Miss QB Decision Draws Closer .
