What QB Aidan Chiles is Looking Forward to Most in First Season at Michigan State
Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles will be the starter for the Spartans in the fall. After Chiles' highly anticipated arrival to East Lansing in December, he is one of the most touted additions to a Spartan team in recent memory. The expectations surrounding Chiles are almost unfair.
Chiles is consistently named dropped as one of the best quarterbacks in the Big Ten conference, despite not playing a snap for the Green and White. His name has been spoken in the same breath as "Heisman Trophy", despite limited action as a true freshman last season. The fabled award is just about the only thing that has eluded the Spartans, so it is no small thing to be throwing such lofty labels around.
However, for Chiles, what he is most looking forward to is proving the doubters wrong.
"I'm almost looking forward to proving a lot of people wrong," Chiles told George Wrighster on "The Unafraid Show." "I see a lot of things. I don't try to be on social media as much, but when I do go on social media I see five wins, four wins, like alright. So that's really what I'm looking forward to. I think we have a better team than what people give us credit for, so, I think we just gonna show a lot of people this year."
When it comes to success in 2024, Chiles said that his success is based on the team's success.
"We win games, but at the end of the day, even if we don't win these games, it gotta look like we put up a fight," Chiles said. That's really just what I'm here for. I'm not here to lay down for anybody ... that's just not what I'm here for."
What Chiles is "here for" is quite simple.
"I'm here to help the team win," Chiles said. "I mean I want to be a household name just like everybody else wants to be a household name. But, I'm here to help the team win to the best of my abilities, even if that happens to be I don't play. It is what it is. But I'm here to win, so that's just what it is."
This spring was Chiles' second spring football program, and it was vastly different for Chiles this time around. Last year, he was a true freshman backup to DJ Uiagalelei who could "just do" whatever he wanted to do and just "played football." Now, he has the keys to the offense, and the stakes are much higher.
"I'm taking reps with the [starters], and I got to be able like, lead my team," Chiles said. "That's just how it is."
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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