The 2024 season didn't quite go as planned for Aidan Chiles nor Michigan State football.
Everyone expected Chiles to come in and be a star right away, but those expectations just weren't realistic for a first-year starting quarterback who wasn't even 20 yet. He spent his entire freshman season as a backup to DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State and was thrown into the fire in 2024 with the Spartans. He had his moments, but turnovers plagued him for the season's first two months.
Michigan State fans also expected a bowl berth, but that wasn't the case. The Spartans finished 5-7 with an absolute clunker in the season finale against Rutgers at home to miss a bowl game.
But there's plenty of hope for the future, especially with all of the portal players that Jonathan Smith has acquired. He has added a couple of high-impact receivers, a potential RB1, and some offensive linemen to really bolster the depth there.
Oh, and he's also not done yet.
In the portal and NIL era, however, you can never be too sure that key players will return for another season even if they have 2-3 years of eligibility left. The transfer portal has become an attractive option for a lot of young stars. Luckily, Chiles isn't going to flirt with the portal again.
Thank you Spartan Nation for the support this year! Excited to run it back! pic.twitter.com/GhivSCK7A1
— Aidan Chiles (@ai6an_) December 27, 2024
I don't know about you, but I'm excited to see what Chiles can do in East Lansing with some extra help on the way. If he carries the momentum he had from the final month over into 2025, the Spartans will be in good shape.