A day after falling to Arkansas State 44-28 on homecoming, Southern Miss fired Head Football Coach Will Hall and named Assistant Head Coach and General Manager Reed Stringer as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
“We are grateful to Will and his family for their dedication to Southern Miss over the past four years,” said Southern Miss Athletic Director Jeremy McClain. “Will poured his heart and soul into this program and into shaping these young men. Unfortunately, the results on the field didn’t align with our shared goals and expectations.”
USM hired Hall in December 2020 after he served as Tulane’s offensive coordinator for two years. His first season as head coach of the Golden Eagles was subpar. After losing multiple quarterbacks to injuries, he implemented a “Superback” offense that resulted in a 3-9 record for USM that season.
Hall’s second season saw improvement. He led the team to the LendingTree Bowl, their postseason game since 2019. The Golden Eagles defeated Rice that game to secure their first bowl victory since 2016 and ended the season 7-6. For his efforts, Hall received a salary increase and one-year extension that extended his contract to 2025.
Hall’s third season was filled with high expectations, but after winning the home opener against Alcorn State, the Golden Eagles lost seven straight games. The team’s worst defeat was a 55-3 loss against South Alabama. The Golden Eagles finished the season 3-9.
While many debated if Hall should’ve remained for the 2024 season, he was given another chance and made changes during the offseason by hiring Chip Long as offensive coordinator and Clay Bignell as defensive coordinators. He also compiled the Sun Belt’s top recruiting class, but the team currently sits at 1-6 and are 0-3 in conference play.
As Southern Miss begins a national search for its next head football coach, McClain outlines the future.
“Our immediate focus is twofold: first, supporting our student-athletes throughout the remainder of the season, and second, conducting a comprehensive national search to identify the next leader for Southern Miss football,” he said. “This is a proud program with an outstanding history and a premier job in college football. We will find the next leader to usher us into a new era of championship success.”
