Hitting stride at QB, MSU’s Aidan Chiles eyes a new balance of running, passing

East Lansing — As good as he is at it, Aidan Chiles can probably run a little bit less.

And for a player who can change the complexion of a game with his legs, it might seem foolhardy for Michigan State to chase the goal of Chiles spending more time in the pocket. 

But with his evident improvement as a passer in 2025, stemming in large part from better pocket presence and maneuvering, plus keeping his eyes downfield as plays extend, the Spartans have witnessed the upside of Chiles in a clicking passing game. But just as much as he’s provided through the air — six touchdowns and one interception, which came on a tipped ball — Chiles has been a force on the ground. 

He’s one of the most effective runners from the quarterback position early this season. And for as much as Spartan coaches are pushing Chiles to hang in the pocket, reset his platform and keep reading out plays, they know his legs are too much of a weapon to shelve as Big Ten play begins against USC this Saturday in Southern California. 

Ultimately, it’s all a question of balance. 

“Kind of the hard part of that is sometimes he just moves in the pocket and feels an open space and he takes off with his legs and you gotta be kind of careful, not maybe to over-coach that too much, the instinct out of him,” offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said.

The Chiles that has led Michigan State to another 3-0 start to the season in his second year of starting has looked vastly improved as an operator and passer in the pocket. Better offensive line play has surely helped. The player who so readily bailed from pockets and scrambled last season had evidently grown up over the spring and summer and fall camp. 

Take Chiles’ touchdown pass to Michael Masunas against Youngstown State on Saturday, for example.

A blitzer immediately fires through the B gap as Chiles takes the shotgun snap, and Brandon Tullis got enough on the linebacker to arc him deep around Chiles, who stepped up and reset his platform, rather than bailing out to the right. He resets his feet once more as a defensive lineman loops around his blocker and closes and, rather than bailing from his spot, Chiles stood tall and delivered a strike from 28 yards out for a touchdown. 

A play that Chiles might’ve decided to tuck and run a year ago instead became a passing touchdown. 

“I think we've really challenged him pocket movement-wise, pocket presence,” Lindgren said. “Last year, he moved off his spot a little bit, he'd kind of get himself out of position and he wasn't in his passing profile to be able to make the throw to the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver and we've been really challenging him in the offseason about keeping that passing profile, subtle movements to be able to find that.”

But he’s not flawless at it, either, as Chiles recalled a throw he turned down to Chrishon McCray on a key down.

“There's times where I could've thrown the ball and I took off and there's times like — you see Boston College, where we have third and something and Chrishon McCray's wide open on an out route and I decided to run,” Chiles said. “I got the first down, but could've threw the ball. Stuff like that.” 

Going forward, Chiles will probably be well served to take that throw to McCray, or those similar. It’s easier to take chunks in the air and with his strong arm and MSU’s deep receiving corps, there will likely be plays to be had as he reads out concepts and keeps plays alive. Limiting chances for opponents to put a hit on Chiles, who the Michigan State offense has run through, is also a wise way to live for the Spartans. 

But there is also no denying that Chiles’ running provides an upside that MSU won’t be taking out of the offense any time soon. 

Among college quarterbacks, Chiles is ninth in EPA (expected points added) per rush. He’s going for .55 EPA/rush, according to Game On Paper, meaning each time Chiles runs the ball he’s effectively making a play worth more than half a point for the Spartans. He’s one of 19 players nationally with an EPA/rush over .5, and his rushing success rate is in the Top 50, in the same ballpark as the likes of Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Georgia Tech’s Haynes King and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia. 

When Chiles runs the ball, good things are happening for Michigan State. 

So going forward, starting with Saturday’s matchup against USC, it’ll be Chiles’ ability to drop back, read concepts and make good choices that drive the Michigan State offense primarily. And, if Chiles continues to use his arm and punish defenses through the air, defenders will be that much more focused on sticking to their assignment, meaning the chances Chiles does get to run will be even more prime. And Chiles is seeing the game better than ever before, Lindgren said, aiding good decisions between running and passing. 

“I think that's been really good, and I do think the just understanding of defensive football and how defenses are attacking him and the weaknesses of coverages,” Chiles said. “I think he's just starting to understand football more.”

Chiles on the whole is just too physically talented to take out of the run game, in general and especially in the red zone and short yardage. Some weeks might demand more from him running than others. But games like Youngstown State, where he led the Spartans in rushing, are probably not the desired outcome. 

And ultimately, whatever balance gets struck for Chiles, on the season or week to week, the end goal is clear: Make plays to win games, with his arm and mind and, when needed, with his legs. 

“Like they talk to me all the time, they don't want to take away my ability and what I've done and over-coach it,” Chiles said, “but at the same time they want to see me throw the ball. And that's real. I'm a quarterback, I need to throw the ball.”