We’re months away from the start of the 2024 college football season but fanbases across the nation are collectively excited about the promise of an unblemished record at this point. For fans of the Michigan State Spartans, there is renewed hope for better times to come.
Those better times align directly with new head coach Jonathan Smith and their starting quarterback, Aidan Chiles.
Aidan Chiles Draws Incredible Praise
Chiles didn’t get a chance to show it too much in 2023, but the fans in Corvallis knew just how talented he was whenever he touched the field.
Considering that was just a few snaps per game, maybe one whole series each week, viewers could sense the excitement that fans exuded. Chiles flashed, albeit briefly, during his time on the field for Oregon State by completing 68.6% of his attempts for 309 yards and four touchdowns against zero interceptions.
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The athleticism Chiles possesses saw him land with the Beavers as the highest-ranked recruit in Oregon State history. He parlayed that on-field athleticism to the tune of six total touchdowns in just five appearances.
And, according to his former teammate Ryan Cooper, Chiles is just getting started.
It’s one thing for fans to get excited for a highly-talented player, but it’s completely another story when a former teammate, who endured summer practices, in-season workouts, and all the time that goes into being members of the same team during a fall season dishes out praise.
“Aidan Chiles is going to take East Lansing by storm,” Cooper said at the NFL Combine. “He’s an incredible worker and an incredible athlete.”
As high of praise as that is, the question that preceded the response is equally as promising for Michigan State fans. Cooper’s response wasn’t at a direct question around Chiles’ ability. Nor was it in response to any specific prompting around Chiles.
Instead, Cooper simply responded with how Chiles will take over East Lansing following a mention of what Jonathan Smith meant to him during his time at Oregon State.
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That kind of off-script response means simply one thing: Chiles left a mark on Cooper during their brief time together at Oregon State. And though his time so far in East Lansing, if all goes to plan, he’ll leave his mark with the Spartans all the same.
Maybe that same mark will be leave behind some victories and a potential Big Ten crashing party for the Spartans under Chiles and Smith in 2024.
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