Aidan Chiles' work throughout the offseason and fall camp has paid off. Northwestern has named the Michigan State transfer its starting quarterback, giving him the chance to lead Chip Kelly's new-look offense in 2026.
With less than two weeks remaining until the start of the 2026 season, Northwestern has officially found its quarterback.
The Wildcats have named Michigan State transfer Aidan Chiles their starting quarterback, according to sources, with Chiles set to make his Northwestern debut against South Dakota State on Sept. 5.
Chiles entered fall camp as one of the favorites to win the job and battled Ryan Boe and Nicco Marchiol throughout the preseason. Now, the competition is over and Chiles will take over as Northwestern's QB1 as the Wildcats enter a new era offensively.
The decision is also a payoff for the work Chiles put in throughout the offseason and fall camp.
Chiles previously emphasized the importance of keeping his head down, continuing to work and focusing on getting better each day rather than worrying about things outside of his control.
That approach appears to have paid off as he emerged from the quarterback competition with the starting job.
Now, he gets the opportunity to show what he can do.
Chiles brings plenty of collegiate experience to Evanston after spending the past two seasons at Michigan State. He has totaled 4,126 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns during his career while gaining valuable experience in the Big Ten.
Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) celebrates a touchdown with Michigan State tight end Michael Masunas (81) in the first quarter at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn ImagesThat experience could be particularly important as Northwestern prepares for another challenging conference schedule.
Chiles has already seen firsthand how physical and competitive Big Ten football can be, and he will now have the opportunity to lead a Wildcats offense against that competition.
His arrival was one of the biggest moves Northwestern made during the offseason as the Wildcats look to completely change an offense that struggled to consistently produce in 2025.
Northwestern averaged just 23.4 points per game last season, ranking 98th among FBS teams, while producing 346.1 yards per game, which ranked 96th nationally. The Wildcats averaged 185.9 passing yards and 160.2 rushing yards per game.
Now, Chiles will be at the center of the effort to change that.
With Chip Kelly taking over as offensive coordinator, Northwestern is hoping Chiles can become the quarterback capable of unlocking a much more explosive offense. Chiles has already spoken highly of Kelly, calling him a “genius” and praising his ability to know what is happening before, during and after every play.
The two will now have the opportunity to build that relationship together.
All eyes will be on Chiles when he takes the field against South Dakota State. Northwestern is expecting its offense to take a significant step forward in 2026, and the starting quarterback decision is the first major piece of that transformation.
