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Pete Thamel, ESPN
Former Oregon State quarterback Aidan Chiles is transferring to Michigan State, he told ESPN, a move that reconnects him with new Spartans coach Jonathan Smith.
Chiles, who hails from Southern California, visited in recent days and decided to commit to Smith, the coach who recruited him out of high school and whom he played for during one promising season at Oregon State in 2023.
Chiles is immediately eligible and has three years of eligibility remaining, giving an immediate offensive identity to Smith’s tenure at Michigan State. Chiles will enroll immediately and arrive in early January.
With all of Michigan State’s scholarship quarterbacks entering the transfer portal, the commitment of Chiles gives Smith a bedrock player to build around and pitch recruits to play with. Chiles pointed out his affinity for Smith and the staff, familiarity with the offensive system and the “bigger stage” offered by the Big Ten as reasons for his choice.
Chiles, who turned 18 in September, didn’t start any games for Oregon State this year. But he played well enough after enrolling in January to beat out veteran Ben Gulbranson for the backup quarterback job and push starter DJ Uiagalelei for playing time.
“I talked to Coach Smith, and at the end of the day, I told him, ‘I came to play for you,'” Chiles told ESPN. “‘Wherever you go, that’s where I want to be.'”
Chiles is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and showcased dual-threat ability during his lone season at Oregon State. Chiles said he didn’t visit any other schools.
Chiles flashed enough potential as a true freshman that Smith began inserting him for the third series of each game, which began on Sept. 30 against Utah and stretched through the season. He played well for the entire season, showcasing the dual-threat ability that highlighted why the Oregon State staff prioritized getting him snaps during critical parts of games.
Chiles finished with four touchdown passes, three rushing touchdowns and completed 68.6% of his passes. He did not throw an interception in 35 attempts. The Oregon State coaching staff thought enough of Chiles that they considered him a legitimate contender for the starting job during summer camp.
“I knew he trusted in me, simply because I’m 17 and I’m getting a lot of reps I shouldn’t be getting,” Chiles said. “I saw that they believed in me, he’s putting me out there. He trusts me to go win this third drive and put up some points.”
Chiles also said that he developed a strong personal relationship with Smith, who would call him in his office on occasion and just ask him about school and life. The depth of the relationship mattered.
“He talked to me as a person, not as a player,” Chiles said. “I liked having a conversation with a coach who cares for my well-being.”
The move to Michigan State will reconnect him with both Smith and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Brian Lindgren. Both were bullish all year on Chiles, with Smith’s public comments to the media in Oregon hinting that he knew he had a future star quarterback on his hands.
Chiles is now headed more than 2,000 miles from home. He joked after his visit to East Lansing that it was a little bit cold, but he enjoyed it.
“It was cool,” he said. “A bigger city than Corvallis. More stuff to do, more places to eat. It was still like a college town. Still felt the college town vibe. It was home-like. I liked it a lot. It was how I felt when I came to Corvallis, and I really appreciated the time I spent out there.”
Chiles described Smith and Lindgren’s system as pro-style, with the capability to evolve to the quarterback’s strengths. He said that with him being more mobile than Uiagalelei that the offense would likely move him out of the pocket some for an opportunity for some bigger plays.
Chiles’ arm talent may best be summed up by a third-and-17 completion to receiver Anthony Gould against Arizona earlier this year when the ball traveled nearly 60 yards in the air.
“The system is a quarterback-driven system, everyone rallies around the quarterback and trusts in him to make plays for the offense,” Chiles said. “I feel like I can make plays when needed to. Being young and being able to play the third drive in [nearly] every game, I’ve been trusted to do that already. The more I build on that trust, the better.”
Ultimately, Chiles’ transfer to Michigan State boils down to a reciprocation of that trust. He said a lot of players asked him about Smith’s culture on his visit, and he told them that Smith’s teams “play loose” and focus on combining “football and fun” with the inherent work required at this level.
Chiles said the underdog ethos of Michigan State is similar to that at Oregon State, as both are tasked with competing with the bigger in-state brands. Chiles said he’s looking forward to locking arms with Smith and the staff and building up Michigan State to a contender in the Big Ten.
“That’s also a big reason I liked it so much,” he said of the opportunity to build. “We can start from scratch. People can see what we build.”
Part of that building will be Chiles turning quickly from recruit to recruiter. He said he’s ready to engage to help Michigan State replenish its roster, which has seen significant portal defections after Mel Tucker was fired.
“I did the same thing at Oregon State when I committed there,” he said. “There’s not too much to it. At the end of the day, if the players want to play with you, they’re going to come.
“I’ll tell them, ‘I’m coming here. I’d love to play with you.'”