Oregon State transfer QB Aidan Chiles tells ESPN He Is Joining Jonathan Smith at Michigan State

CORVALLIS, OREGON – NOVEMBER 11: Quarterback Aidan Chiles #0 of the Oregon State Beavers runs the ball in open space during the second half of the game against the Stanford Cardinals at Reser Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)

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As many expected, Oregon State transfer Aidan Chiles will join Jonathan Smith at Michigan State, per ESPN.

Chiles was a four-star recruit out of Downey, Calif., and played in nine games as a freshman with the Beavers as the backup to DJ Uiagalelei. His passing totals were 24 for 35 (68.6%) for 309 yards and 7 total touchdowns (4 passing, 3 rushing) and no interceptions.

Smith accepted the head coach position at Michigan State the morning after Oregon State’s 31-7 loss to Oregon in the Civil War. He took offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren with him to East Lansing, along with renowned run game coordinator/offensive line coach Jim Michalczik and tight ends coach Brian Wozniak. Defensive coordinator Trent Bray stayed in Corvallis and was hired as the successor to Smith as Oregon State’s new head coach.

Chiles told ESPN that he wanted to be wherever Smith ended up.

Via the ESPN story by Pete Thamel:

“I talked to Coach Smith, and at the end of the day, I told him, ‘I came to play for you. Wherever you go, that’s where I want to be.'”

The 6-3, 200-lb dual-threat quarterback just turned 18 in September. He joins a Spartans program looking to find its footing after firing Mel Tucker and dealing with the legal fallout after Tucker was alleged to have engaged in sexual misconduct with Brenda Tracy, a sexual assault awareness speaker and survivor.

Smith’s hiring hopes to provide stability to East Lansing, and Chiles’ arrival would bolster a Spartans QB room that saw multiple departures this offseason that saw MSU finish 4-8.

Listen to John Canzano’s reaction to the news of Chiles transferring to Michigan State and the future of the Beavers football program afternoons 3-6 p.m. exclusively in Portland on 750 The Game.