University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Bringing an Underdog Mentality to his Game – AJ Little
9/3/2026 4:45:00 PM | Football
By Tim Doherty, Special to SouthernMiss.com
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- AJ Little said he considers himself an underdog of sorts when it comes to his football career.
But the Macon, Mississippi, native also said he intends to come up big with Southern Miss this fall.
"For me, growing up, I always (felt) like the underdog," said Little, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound redshirt junior who earned a spot in the Golden Eagles' rotation at receiver this summer. It was like, 'I'm good, but this guy always got more opportunities.'
"In high school, I didn't go to camps, so I'm just a ballplayer. (But) I'm a gamer. Just get me the ball."
Little transferred to Southern Miss after spending three years at the University of Chattanooga as a receiver/punt returner but missed spring drills in Hattiesburg while recovering from injury.
Once preseason camp rolled around, Little balled out.
"Definitely, just got back out there, mentally, getting that confidence back of catching the ball, running through the ball, getting contact," he said. "Just having that confidence, and getting that confidence back, is a big thing for everybody, everybody who goes through that."
In the first official depth chart released for Saturday's season-opener with Alcorn State, Little was one of four players named as a potential starter at receiver, listed with Jaylen Himes, Mario Sanders and Grant Page.
Little also earned a potential spot as the Golden Eagles' punt return specialist.
"I feel like I'm going to get a lotta snaps, a lotta reps, this season, but I've got a lot of great guys (competing at receiver) and I know we're all going to get a chance to get the ball this year," he said.
Little said he's worked split out as well as from inside the slot with the offense.
"I like the outside because it's more one on one," he said.
Little was a big-time ballplayer at one of Mississippi's small-school, football powerhouses, Noxubee County High School. As a senior, he earned first-team, all-state honors after snagging 62 passes for 1,168 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He helped NCHS to three, consecutive appearances in the Class 3A playoffs, including a heartbreaking, 55-52, loss to Raleigh High School in the 2022 state championship game.
In his final game as a Tiger, Little grabbed seven passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns.
"People tell me, 'Man you were so good in high school,' but now I'm looking forward to doing it on a major level," Little said. "I always want to keep going, keep climbing the ladder, every year, every day."
As Signing Day approached, Little was being pursued hard by a bevy of Mississippi junior colleges before accepting a late offer from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
He played three years for the Football Championship Subdivision college in southeastern Tennessee.
Little appeared in two games as a true freshman, scoring his lone offensive touchdown as a Moccasin on a slant route he broke for a 57-yard touchdown.
A banged-up shoulder clouded his redshirt freshman year but bounced back as a redshirt sophomore to play in all 12 games, stepping up as a return man. Little brought back nine punts for 123 yards and two scores.
Little said while he grew from his time in Chattanooga, he wanted to come back to Mississippi and play at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
"I went up there, and I feel I developed well," Little said. "I feel like coming here, I know more ball and that my game has come a long way, so I feel like it definitely worked out in my favor.
"But I always wanted to play D-I since I was a kid, (and) coming from a smaller school, I kind of feel like I was overlooked, and that's where the hungriness comes from and the dawg mentality comes from. That's why I will never quit. I just believe in myself."
HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- AJ Little said he considers himself an underdog of sorts when it comes to his football career.
But the Macon, Mississippi, native also said he intends to come up big with Southern Miss this fall.
"For me, growing up, I always (felt) like the underdog," said Little, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound redshirt junior who earned a spot in the Golden Eagles' rotation at receiver this summer. It was like, 'I'm good, but this guy always got more opportunities.'
"In high school, I didn't go to camps, so I'm just a ballplayer. (But) I'm a gamer. Just get me the ball."
Little transferred to Southern Miss after spending three years at the University of Chattanooga as a receiver/punt returner but missed spring drills in Hattiesburg while recovering from injury.
Once preseason camp rolled around, Little balled out.
"Definitely, just got back out there, mentally, getting that confidence back of catching the ball, running through the ball, getting contact," he said. "Just having that confidence, and getting that confidence back, is a big thing for everybody, everybody who goes through that."
In the first official depth chart released for Saturday's season-opener with Alcorn State, Little was one of four players named as a potential starter at receiver, listed with Jaylen Himes, Mario Sanders and Grant Page.
Little also earned a potential spot as the Golden Eagles' punt return specialist.
"I feel like I'm going to get a lotta snaps, a lotta reps, this season, but I've got a lot of great guys (competing at receiver) and I know we're all going to get a chance to get the ball this year," he said.
Little said he's worked split out as well as from inside the slot with the offense.
"I like the outside because it's more one on one," he said.
Little was a big-time ballplayer at one of Mississippi's small-school, football powerhouses, Noxubee County High School. As a senior, he earned first-team, all-state honors after snagging 62 passes for 1,168 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He helped NCHS to three, consecutive appearances in the Class 3A playoffs, including a heartbreaking, 55-52, loss to Raleigh High School in the 2022 state championship game.
In his final game as a Tiger, Little grabbed seven passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns.
"People tell me, 'Man you were so good in high school,' but now I'm looking forward to doing it on a major level," Little said. "I always want to keep going, keep climbing the ladder, every year, every day."
As Signing Day approached, Little was being pursued hard by a bevy of Mississippi junior colleges before accepting a late offer from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
He played three years for the Football Championship Subdivision college in southeastern Tennessee.
Little appeared in two games as a true freshman, scoring his lone offensive touchdown as a Moccasin on a slant route he broke for a 57-yard touchdown.
A banged-up shoulder clouded his redshirt freshman year but bounced back as a redshirt sophomore to play in all 12 games, stepping up as a return man. Little brought back nine punts for 123 yards and two scores.
Little said while he grew from his time in Chattanooga, he wanted to come back to Mississippi and play at the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
"I went up there, and I feel I developed well," Little said. "I feel like coming here, I know more ball and that my game has come a long way, so I feel like it definitely worked out in my favor.
"But I always wanted to play D-I since I was a kid, (and) coming from a smaller school, I kind of feel like I was overlooked, and that's where the hungriness comes from and the dawg mentality comes from. That's why I will never quit. I just believe in myself."
Players Mentioned
Monday, August 31
Saturday, August 22
Wednesday, August 19
Tuesday, August 18