Coach Jonathan Smith on QB Aidan Chiles' First MSU Game: "We've Got to Help the Guy Out"

Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles struggled at times against Florida Atlantic. Spartans coach Jonathan Smith believes the offense as a whole needs to improve.

Aidan Chiles / Starr Portice, Michigan State on SI

Entering the fourth quarter in its home opener against Florida Atlantic, Michigan State was in a closer game than many expected before kickoff.

The Spartans were double-digit favorites against the Owls at kickoff but were only up by six points. Michigan State had issues on offense, as the team struggled to run and throw the ball well. Quarterback Aidan Chiles’ performance has been well documented, as he completed less than half of his passes. 

Chiles completed 10 of his 24 passes for 114 yards, with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Still, Coach Smith believes everyone on the offense struggled, which played a significant role in Chiles’ struggles. Coach Smith said that nearly every position group on the offense struggled at some point and that Florida Atlantic’s defense also played admirably against the Spartans.  

“We want to have some expectation in regards to people excited about it, that we have a chance to play well, win a bunch of games, and all that," Smith said after the game. "That’s what we sign up to do. I think on Aidan Chiles’ end, yeah, he wants to play better. Well, I think the other ten guys on offense want to play better. 

“We’ve got to help the guy out. We were hit-and-miss there. Whether we were missing a blocking scheme, a route [combination,] and [credit] FAU, those guys contested in the back end. Our run game is where we wanted it to [be.] That's going to help a quarterback. So, there’s a lot that we can do to help him out, and I know that he’ll be back to work and looking to improve in Week 2.”

Michigan State’s next game will be its first conference game, a road game against Maryland. It will be an early test that will gauge where Michigan State stands in the Big Ten early in the season. Michigan State’s defense looks like it can carry the team this season. However, for Michigan State to succeed in conference play, its offense must improve quickly.

Smith aims to guide Michigan State to an upset next week in the Spartans’ first road game. Over the next seven days, a win against Maryland will require Chiles and the offense to improve significantly.

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