QB Aidan Chiles on Being Embraced by Spartan Fans

There's only a few athletes who can generate high levels of excitement in a fanbase several months before their respective seasons' start, but that's what transfer quarterback Aidan Chiles has done in East Lansing.

Since following Coach Jonathan Smith and committing to Michigan State out of the portal in mid-December, Chiles has had the Spartan faithful champing at the bit to see him in the Green and White.

That excitement comes from Chiles being a former four-star, Top-150 recruit — the type of quarterback prospect that has been a rarity for MSU football. It also comes from the numbers he put up in nine appearances as a true freshman at Oregon State a year ago. There was enough hype in East Lansing surrounding Chiles that fans even chanted his name at a men's basketball game this winter with the quarterback in attendance.

"No, that was — I don't like that," Chiles said with a shy smirk when he spoke to reporters on Tuesday, March 26. "I mean, it's cool, but it wasn't in the right setting, you know? I mean, if it was football, it's different. If you're playing, it's different. It was a little weird, but it was cool."

The excitement and anticipation also come from Chiles' highlight tape, which got a new enter on Sunday when MSU football released clips from the Spartans' first spring scrimmage on social media (below).

Chiles is not getting caught up in all the attention he has received from fans over the past four months, however, or letting the pressure to live up to expectations affect his approach to football.

"It's cool," Chiles said of being embraced by MSU fans. "I don't dwell too much on it, simply because at the end of the day, fans are fans. They're not playing the game with you. It's all about these guys in the locker room right now, and those 11 that's on the field with you when you're playing."

Hype, excitement and anticipation only last so long and can be diminished quickly if results do not follow. We will not get a full look at Chiles until the Spartans open their 2024 season against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 31, but we will at least get an idea of what to expect when MSU football hosts its "Spring Showcase" on April 20.

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.

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