As Southern Miss' 2026 season opener against Alcorn State draws closer, there are still many questions to be answered. One of the biggest questions is: Who will be the starting quarterback?
From the 1970s to the mid-2010s, finding a starting quarterback was never a problem for Southern Miss. From Jeff Bower, Reggie Collier and Brett Favre in the 1970s and 1980s, to Lee Roberts, Jeff Kelly, Austin Davis and Nick Mullens from the 1990s through the 2010s, there is a long pedigree of great Golden Eagle quarterbacks. But since 2018, Southern Miss has struggled to find a quarterback capable of elevating the program to the next level.
It will be a tall task for this year's team, with so many newcomers, but redshirt-senior transfer quarterback Ethan Hampton will attempt to be that guy.
Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Ethan Hampton (2) throws a pass for a touchdown as he is pressured by Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Rylie Mills (99) in the first quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
After graduating from Aurora Christian High School in 2021, Ethan Hampton started his career at Northern Illinois as a backup quarterback for his first three seasons. In those three seasons (2021-23), Hampton recorded 95 pass completions out of 165 attempts for 968 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. In 2024, Hampton rose to the starting position for the Huskies, leading them to one of the best wins in program history.
On Sept. 7, 2024, Northern Illinois traveled to South Bend, Indiana, to face the AP No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. That game was expected to be a breeze for the Irish, who ended up in the College Football Playoff National Championship that season. It was expected to be a blowout with Notre Dame being a 28-point favorite, but a last-minute field goal gave NIU its first ranked win since 2015, beating the Irish, 16-14. Hampton went 10-for-19 with 198 yards and one touchdown in the win.
In 2025, Hampton transferred from Northern Illinois to Illinois to play for the Fighting Illini. However, Hampton only played in two games for the Illini, throwing for 14 yards in their 52-3 win over Western Illinois and 27 yards and one interception in a 63-10 loss to eventual national champion Indiana. At the close of the 2025 season, Hampton entered the transfer portal for the second time, winding up at Southern Miss. Here's a look at his career collegiate stats:
Northern Illinois Huskies (2021-2024): Completed 239-of-412 passes (58%) for 2,568 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also had 74 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
Illinois Fighting Illini (2025): Completed 3-of-4 passes (75%) for 27 yards and one interception.
Southern Miss QB Ethan Hampton in between drills during the team's August 8 fall camp practice. | Josh House
Southern Miss came into this year's fall camp looking for its starting quarterback. Although fall camp concluded with Saturday's Fan Fest scrimmage, Anderson is still looking for more before making that decision. Hampton has been in a three-man QB1 race with redshirt-sophomore John White and redshirt-senior Landry Lyddy, who don't have the overall experience Hampton has, but they've both been with Southern Miss for a year or more.
After the first week of camp, Anderson said he'd be able to make a decision based on how his guys performed. As fall camp progressed, though, it turned out to not be that simple, as Hampton's bone bruise injury on his throwing hand has thrown off Anderson's timeline for naming a starter.
"It's not a decision I wanna [make] then have to change my mind five minutes later," Anderson said . "I wanna know we made the right call. It's possible it's not till game week."
Anderson has said he is looking for someone who is not only talented but also willing to take on an increased leadership role for the team. So far, Hampton has risen to that challenge, as Anderson recently said he's become one of the "loudest voices" in the locker room that guys listen to.
Southern Miss QB Ethan Hampton (5) could be a difference-maker for the Golden Eagles in 2026 if he can stay healthy. | Josh House
With the opening kickoff against Alcorn State on Sept. 5 being less than two weeks away, the team's starting quarterback job is still up for grabs, mainly due to Hampton's lingering hand injury. Before the injury, Hampton was taking all of the team's first-team reps in practices and also at the start of that first scrimmage on Aug. 15. If he can get himself fully healthy by next week, he should still be able to lock down the job one week out from the opener. We'll continue to keep an eye on his progress this week.
After Tuesday's practice, Coach Anderson said Hampton's bone bruise healing has taken longer than expected, with increased swelling and discomfort causing issues. However, Anderson reiterated that Hampton's hand has structural damage. Although Golden Eagle fans have grown concerned with the quarterback situation, Anderson asked for a little more patience earlier this week as he continues to monitor and evaluate everything in order to make the best decision for his team.
Although nothing is set in stone yet, there's no denying that Hampton brings a more experienced track record to the table than his competition. It will be interesting to see where he ends up on the depth chart this season, but again, don't be shocked if No. 5 is QB1 if that hand is fully healed before next Saturday. As the race for starting quarterback goes on, be sure to follow Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for all the latest from Golden Eagle Country.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/southernmiss as Southern Miss Player Profile: What to Know About Starting QB Candidate Ethan Hampton .
