Breaking Down MSU's Quarterbacks Following Chiles' Departure

The quarterback situation will be different in East Lansing next year.

Aidan Chiles, Michigan State's starter for the past two seasons, announced Monday that he would be entering the transfer portal once it opens up on Jan. 2. It's not that drastic, as Chiles had been benched for Alessio Milivojevic with four games remaining this season, and Milivojevic has indicated that he will return to MSU for 2026.

All indications now point towards Milivojevic being the full-time starter next fall. He has the chance to be QB1 for a while, since he has three years of eligibility remaining.

Here's where things stand with the quarterbacks after Chiles' decision:

Alessio Milivojevic

One of the first big victories for new head coach Pat Fitzgerald was that he's been able to keep Milivojevic from leaving. Not just that, but also getting him to make it clear he plays to "run it back" pretty quickly, instead of drawing it out and potentially letting other schools think Milivojevic might become available.

Milivojevic is one of the most important assets Michigan State has now. He looked like somebody who could become a high-quality Big Ten starter someday, throwing for 986 yards, seven touchdowns, and just two interceptions during his four starts at the end of the season.

Leo Hannan

As things stand, Leo Hannan is probably the team's current backup. He did not appear in a game during his true freshman season, meaning he will be a redshirt freshman next year.

Hannan has also indicated on social media that he will be back next season. He was a three-star recruit in the class of 2025, ranked 924th overall on the 247Sports Composite, which was 54th among quarterbacks. The California native chose MSU over offers from several other Power 4 schools, including the Big Ten's Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington.

Kayd Coffman

Michigan State also has a big name coming in at quarterback in its 2026 class. Despite the coaching change, East Kentwood's Kayd Coffman, a four-star recruit, still signed with the Spartans.

The Rivals Industry Rankings places him at No. 287 overall in the class, 18th among quarterbacks, and fifth among Michiganders. Coffman had other offers from Ole Miss, Iowa State, Cincinnati, Colorado, Duke, and Syracuse.

Ryland Jessee

The last member of the Spartans' quarterback room is Ryland Jessee, who has not seen game action in two seasons with the program. Given that and that it is likely he would still be fourth on the depth chart next season, Jessee may be a candidate to enter the transfer portal.

Jessee was a three-star recruit in the class of 2024, finishing ranked 1,732nd overall on the 247Sports Composite. He was ranked 92nd among quarterbacks. Former head coach Jonathan Smith flipped Jessee from Utah State in December 2023.

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