Oregon State wasn’t one of the former Pac-12 teams that joined the Big Ten this season. The Beavers, however, will have two prominent former members making their Big Ten debuts on Friday night.
New head coach Jonathan Smith was hired as Michigan State’s head coach after leading Oregon State to winning records over the past three seasons. Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles followed him to East Lansing, Mich. and he’ll start in the Spartans’ home opener against Florida Atlantic on Friday night.
Chiles has so impressed his new teammates that he’s already been named one of the team’s captains.
“I think he’s definitely ready for this,” Smith said. “He’s a competitive player. And a true competitor understands it’s not going to go perfect every snap, and things are going to take place. There’s gonna be some really good plays, too. But there’s nothing like experience. And the guy’s been out on the field playing big-time football before.”
Chiles appeared in nine games as a freshman in a backup role. He completed 24-of-35 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns. None of his attempts were picked off.
The Spartans are coming off a woeful 4-8 season and Chiles will be just one of many new faces suiting up this fall. A whopping 38 players departed via the transfer portal. Smith and his staff brought in 61 newcomers either as transfers or freshmen.
Florida Atlantic is coming off a 4-8 season, including losses in its last four contests. The Owls also will have a new starting quarterback in Cam Fancher, a Marshall transfer. He threw for 2,162 yards last season with 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The Owls also faced a Big Ten team last season, dropping a 23-17 decision at Illinois.
“It’s going to be a really difficult place to play,” head coach Tom Herman said of this year’s opener. “I know Coach Smith does a phenomenal job and will have those guys ready. It poses unique challenges, too, in Week 1 to (face) a brand new staff. Very little of our film study has been on Michigan State.”
–Field Level Media