EAST LANSING >> Aidan Chiles knows what some of the detractors from the outside world have been saying about Michigan State.

But the young quarterback, who doesn’t lack in the moxie department, is eager to surprise some people this season, starting with the Spartans’ season opener Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic.

How confident is Chiles heading into the final days of practice before next Friday’s debut?

“All I’m saying is, like, if you’re a betting person, take the over,” Chiles said Thursday. “That’s how I feel.”

With an almost entirely new coaching staff and 61 new scholarship players in the building, it’s hard to know what to make of Michigan State this season. The expectations for the Spartans in Jonathan Smith’s first season in charge should be approached with caution.

But Chiles, who’s expected to make his first career start next week, has embraced the underdog reputation, and that’s only flamed the fires of excitement surrounding one of the nation’s most tantalizing quarterbacks heading into this season.

Chiles saw action in nine games with Oregon State last season as a backup. He completed 24 of his 35 pass attempts for 309 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. He showed off his explosiveness, too, as a ball carrier, picking up 79 yards on the ground and three scores on 17 attempts.

Chiles was one of the hottest commodities of the winter transfer portal. He was considered the No. 2 quarterback and a top-10 overall player, according to 247Sports. Ultimately, though, he decided to follow Smith to Michigan State.

It should bode well for the Spartans that their starting quarterback already has familiarity with the new offense in game action. That said, it’ll take all 11 players being on the same page to ensure the system runs smoothly.

Developing that chemistry and trust has been a point of emphasis this fall. Chiles said his biggest improvement over the last month has been settling down and being more calm in the pocket.

“I mean, just being able to not take off so early and being able to sit there and trust my o-line, trust my abilities to get the ball out, trust my receivers to get open,” Chiles explained, “basically building trust and maturing overall … being able to just play the game as an older guy now.”

All-in-all, Chiles has put together an impressive fall camp, with many coaches and teammates raving about his potential and leadership. The team’s faith in the 18-year-old was reiterated this week when his teammates voted him to be one of the Spartans’ five captains for the 2024 season.

But with fall camp in the rearview mirror, the Spartans now turn their attention to the 12 matchups ahead, starting with Florida Atlantic.

The Owls are still in somewhat of a transitional period. They went 4-8 last season, their first under former Texas coach Tom Herman. Florida Atlantic is projected to be better than 2023, but not by much. That puts the Spartans in a position to start their season off on the right foot.

Asked what type of statement Chiles wants to make next week, he, again, said bettors should “take the over.”

As of Friday morning, the Spartans are an 11.5-point favorite against Florida Atlantic, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, who set the over/under at 47.5 points.

After months of playing scrimmages and doing countless drills against teammates, the Spartans are looking forward to going against someone else and seeing where the team is.

“I’m excited, man,” Chiles said. “It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been here (since) January. It’s been eight months and it’s just exciting to finally play somebody else. I feel like we’re ready, we can do a lot of things, we just have to put it all together.”