REPORT: Michigan State's Aidan Chiles is a Top-3 Big Ten QB
The Big Ten Network featured Michigan State's fall camp on Monday as the Spartans begin to inch closer and closer to their season opener against Florida Atlantic.
While many have already counted Michigan State out ahead of this first season of the Jonathan Smith era, Big Ten Network's Yogi Roth was quite high on the Spartans' potential in Year 1 under this new regime.
“[I] look at 8 games on this schedule and say, if Aidan Chiles is the guy we think he can be, if they can run the ball, if Jack Velling can become the tight end -- you guys know [Defensive Coordinator] Joe Rossi as much as anybody -- they’re gonna have a shot to make a little bit of noise," Roth said during Big Ten Network's special on the Spartans.
Roth has already classified Chiles as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference, and not just top 10.
"If they [the Spartans] can get success early, which they have a great shot to do that in the first month of the season," Roth said. "Can this team, in those games, can they mature in front of our eyes? If so, they have, I believe, a top-third quarterback in this league from being around this conference. Aidan Chiles can just do things that a lot of guys can’t. Yes, he's young. Yes, he only has 91 career snaps in games, but look out if he starts to become the confident player, can drop his shoulders and make plays plays in critical moments, this team is going to be scary every Saturday.”
That's quite the praise for a quarterback entering just his second collegiate season with a new team -- in a much better conference, mind you.
Chiles, himself, said earlier in camp that he carries the mentality that he is the best quarterback out there, not just in the Big Ten.
"[I] think I'm the best quarterback in the Big Ten and the nation," the young quarterback said. "Everybody has it [that mentality], though. So, my job is to prove it. But it comes with the work, and also, just the team in general. Like, the team's got to help me out, I got to help them out. So, really, my improvement is based on the team."
These high expectations should be very exciting for the Spartan faithful as Week 1 approaches.
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