The former Michigan State and Oregon State starter commands plenty of attention. Can he make good on his immense physical talents in Evanston?
The Northwestern Wildcats are stepping into a new era this season as they prepare for their first ever home game at the new Ryan Field on Oct. 2.
Oct. 2's game against the Penn State Nittany Lions will give new starting quarterback Aidan Chiles a chance to redeem himself after his 2025 season with the Michigan State Spartans turned sour and led to his benching.
Chiles was recently given a bottom-half ranking among all 138 of the nation's projected starting quarterbacks but that didn't stop Antonio Morales of the New York Times from also listing him as one of the nation's most intriguing QBs in 2026.
There are many reasons for Chiles gaining this distinction, and the first has to do with the man tasked with helping him to recover his lost magic at the quarterback position this season.
Jan 18, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during 2025 CFP National Championship Media Day at Georgia World Congress Center, Building A. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Chip Kelly Gives Chiles Backers Hope
New Northwestern Wildcats offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is one year removed from a stint in the NFL and two years removed from calling the shots for the 2024-25 national champion Ohio State Buckeyes, for whom he turned Will Howard into a top tier QB in a single year's time.
Howard went on one of the best playoff runs in college football history, throwing for over 1,100 yards in four games while leading the Buckeyes to four straight wins and a national title.
Chiles comes in with a little less hype than Howard did from Kansas State to Columbus but his physical gifts are in the same ballpark as Howard's.
Kelly has a history of successfully coaching up dual threat quarterbacks including Marcus Mariota at Oregon, Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers and Dorian Thompson-Robinson at UCLA, putting him ahead of the eight ball with Chiles.
Nov 22, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith talks with an official during the second quarter against the Michigan State Spartans at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
A Break From Jonathan Smith
Chiles finally has a clean break from the man who coached him during his first three college seasons: Jonathan Smith, who was fired by Michigan State after going 9-15 in two seasons.
Smith dramatically underachieved in East Lansing while his reputation as an offensive guru was tarnished.
"(He) never reached the level of consistency most expected," Morales said about Chiles' time under Smith.
"He was benched last season because the offense sputtered."
Chiles and Smith have been closely linked throughout their careers, but Chiles has the talent to succeed without the man who originally recruited him to Corvallis, Oregon and he will be motivated to prove he can stand on his own two feet in Evanston, Ill. with the Wildcats.
Chiles Passes the Eye Test
At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Chiles passes the eye test requisite to be named one of the nation's most intriguing players.
He is a smooth runner with long, gliding strides who will keep defenses honest with his legs. Chiles had over 200 yards rushing in each of his two seasons with the Spartans and should far surpass those totals in Kelly's QB run-friendly offense.
Chiles also has routinely shown the ability to throw from multiple different launch points while on the run, a wrinkle Kelly will excitedly add to the Wildcats' offense this season.
The former MSU starter likely won't make anyone's preseason All-Big Ten team this year, but he doesn't have to play at that level for Northwestern to compete for the conference's upper echelon.
With a top tier offensive coordinator in Kelly, immense physical gifts, a solid running game, and a true go-to guy in receiver Griffin Wilde, Chiles has the supporting cast, and the talent, to be a winning player in 2026.
