After a brief stint, the highly-touted quarterback seeks a new home again, chasing elusive success and a bigger stage for his final year.
If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.
That statement rings true for countless players across college football, all chasing the right opportunity—one that lets them prove they belong or launch them onto a bigger stage.
One player back for seconds like it’s Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house is former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles.
Per Pete Thamel, ESPN Senior College Football Writer and College GameDay insider:
“Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles will be entering the NCAA transfer portal, he tells ESPN. Chiles is a true junior who has one year of eligibility remaining. Chiles, 20, played in 30 games over three combined seasons at Michigan State and Oregon State.”
With one year of eligibility left, Chiles will be viewed as a win-now option. Programs losing established quarterbacks to the draft or eligibility limits will see his experience as a major asset.
Chiles began his career at Oregon State under Jonathan Smith. In just nine games, he threw 35 passes, completing 24 for 304 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He also rushed 17 times for 79 yards and three touchdowns in limited action.
The tools were always there.
That belief carried Chiles from the West Coast to East Lansing when he followed Smith to Michigan State. The pairing was supposed to help pull the Spartans out of the hole left after Mark Dantonio’s departure and Mel Tucker’s collapse.
At times, Chiles flashed—his movement and confidence evoking a young Mick Jagger. Unfortunately, much of that promise proved to be a mirage.
And frankly, I don’t put most of that on Chiles.
He tied himself to one of the most offensively uninspiring head coaches I’ve seen in some time. The vanilla scheme and lack of creativity limited what Chiles could become, potentially costing him the college career many envisioned.
Across two seasons at Michigan State, Chiles finished with:
- 60.8% completion percentage
- 3,807 passing yards
- 24 touchdowns
- 14 interceptions (11 last season, just three this year)
On the ground, he rushed 178 times for 454 yards and nine touchdowns, including six this year in only nine games.
To his credit, Chiles clearly worked to improve his decision-making and football IQ. He cut his interceptions from 11 to three, doubled his rushing touchdowns, and improved his yards per carry from 2.3 to 2.8.
Those tangible improvements will absolutely draw interest from high-profile programs.
That said, I saw enough to feel comfortable with Michigan State sticking with Milivojevic. Under the same coaching staff and behind the same offensive line, Milivojevic showed growth—making competent, fearless throws over the final four games.
With Chiles, I too often saw quick escapes and a tendency to abandon the pocket rather than stand in against collapsing protection.
Chiles can succeed with better coaching and a stronger offensive line. But his instinct to flee a deteriorating pocket suggests he is not quite ready to be a star at the next level yet.
That’s something he'll need to address wherever he lands for his final season.