Official announcement from Southern Miss Athletics or press release regarding head coach appointment

Southern Miss Fires Coach Will Hall After 1-6 Start; Reed Stringer Named Interim Head Coach

Oct 20, 2024, 11:36 PM

Southern Miss has fired head football coach Will Hall after a 1-6 start to the 2024 season, amid a disappointing fourth year. Hall compiled a 14-30 record over his tenure, resulting in the worst win percentage (.318) among the 17 USM coaches with at least 10 games coached. Despite a bowl-winning campaign in 2022, the team's performance declined over the last two seasons with a combined record of 4-15, including a current five-game losing streak. Hall is the second FBS coach fired this season, following ECU's Mike Houston earlier in the day. Assistant head coach and general manager Reed Stringer will serve as the interim head coach as the team prepares to visit James Madison University on Saturday. Per his contract, Hall is owed a buyout of just under $1 million, subject to his duty to mitigate. Athletic Director Jeremy McClain said in a statement, 'We are grateful to Will and his family for their dedication to Southern Miss over the past four years. Will poured his heart and soul into this program and into shaping these young men. Unfortunately, the results did not meet our expectations.' Southern Miss will utilize a search firm to assist in hiring a new head coach.