
The Michigan State Spartans football team has a ton to improve on from the 2024 season. Not only does head coach Jonathan Smith need to make a strong second impression to the Spartan Nation, but so does the quarterback who followed him to Michigan State, Aidan Chiles.
Chiles' first season with the Spartans was also his first season as a starting quarterback. Having recorded 24 completions in 35 attempts that went for 309 passing yards in the small sample size with the Oregon State Beavers, his first season with MSU saw its fair share of ups and downs.
Smith believes in Chiles, and it was seen in the number of times he had him manage the offense. In 192 completions last season, the MSU quarterback recorded 2,415 passing yards and notched 13 touchdowns. However, there are big areas in Chiles' game that the program will look to improve.
One of the biggest statistics that jumps off the page in terms of what Chiles needs to improve on is the number of interceptions he's thrown. With more time on the field comes more opportunities to make a mistake, and for Chiles, those mistakes came in the 11 interceptions he allowed.
With a completion rate below 60%, MSU's quarterback will also look to show more efficiency when moving the football. In his defense, the offensive line last season for the Spartans didn't do the best job at protecting their quarterback, seeing that Chiles was sacked 30 times.
However, seeing the speed that Chiles possesses, he needs to find ways to utilize that asset to get himself out of difficult situations. Already working on his skills this offseason, as he revealed in a recent Instagram post, the second season for Chiles as the starting quarterback needs to have those mechanics improve if he wishes to play in the National Football League.
Steps in the right direction would land Chiles more passing yards, a better completion rate, more rushing yards, taking more care of the football and limiting sacks. Given that both Smith and Chiles are looking to shine in East Lansing, the two can do so by showcasing improvements early in the upcoming 2025 campaign.
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Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has been a popular name in both the NFL and college football coaching cycles. It makes sense, too. He's brought Texas back to being competitive and in the championship hunt, but he also has a wealth of great experience as an assistant in both college and the NFL. He's about as well-rounded a candidate as you'll find, so of course, programs like the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers or even the New York Giants may be interested to see if he's interested. The thing is, though, he's not. Or, at the very least, that's what he's telling the media. He's all-in with the Longhorns, according to comments he made on a recent SEC teleconference call. “I’d like to comment something before I get into our team that has been bothering me now over the past few weeks. That is people reporting that are insinuating that there’s a possibility I could leave the University of Texas, and that is absolutely false and untrue," Sarkisian said (h/t On3). "I’m not going anywhere. Never do I do this because I never want to be a distraction, so I never address these things. At this point, I feel like this is important that I do this because it’s important for our team. It’s important for our university." Steve Sarkisian has deep roots in Austin and is all-in with Texas As if that weren't clear enough, Sarkisian said that he has not had any discussions with anybody about coaching elsewhere. He even went as far as to say that even his agent hasn't spoken to anyone. Sometimes coaches can say publicly that they aren't talking about any opportunities while, in the meantime, their agents are working backchannels and putting something together. He could be lying, of course, because college football history is full of head coaches saying one thing and doing another. A full-throated statement like this seems to be a pretty clear indication that Sarkisian is serious about what he's saying, though. Heck, he went as far as calling Austin home, which is a pretty big deal for a coach to say. Those guys aren't used to staying in one place for too long. With that said, Sarkisian does have two kids actually enrolled at Texas, one on the football team. He has a third kid he wants to go to Texas in the near future. He also just had a baby. Sarkisian has roots in Austin. He also has high aspirations for the Longhorns. “We came here to win championships," he said. "We’ve built a damn good football program over the five years that we’ve been here. We’ve been to two College Football Playoffs. We won a Big 12 Championship. We went to the SEC Championship game in Year 1. We’ve had 23 players drafted the last two years, which is more than any other school in the country and our team GPA is at an all-time high. “Can we please stop putting things out there that you have absolutely zero evidence on? Can we please stop retweeting and putting it back out there as if it’s true? As if it’s the gospel? It is not true."
Acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, new Los Angeles Angels pitcher Grayson Rodriguez believes there is a big reason why he is ready to put his injury history behind him in Anaheim. Just three days after turning 26 years old, Rodriguez is now a member of the Angels after a one-for-one trade that sent outfielder Taylor Ward to Baltimore. He is also hoping that a new location means an end to injuries that have limited him to 43 starts over the past three seasons. That includes zero starts and innings in 2025 because of an elbow issue in spring training, followed by a right lateral strain in April. More elbow problems popped up for Rodriguez in July before he underwent debridement surgery on his elbow in August, officially ending his season. That surgery, however, is, Rodriguez believes, the key to his return to the mound in 2026 as well as his ability to stay on it. Angels' Grayson Rodriguez said bone spurs have been an issue for a long time In a Zoom meeting with Angels reporters on Wednesday, Rodriguez said the bone spurs that were removed had been a problem for years. "That was something that's kind of lingered with me for about three or four years now," Rodriguez said. "I've had them for a while and kind of just got to the point where I couldn't really pitch through it. Pretty sure that's kind of what was causing some of the lat injuries." If that's the case, it could unlock a pitcher who has logged a 4.11 ERA in 238.2 innings over those 43 starts. He has also registered 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings while issuing just 2.9 walks. Getting those kinds of numbers would be a big boost for an Angels rotation that finished 28th out of MLB's 30 teams last season in ERA at 4.91. It would also represent a missed opportunity for an Orioles team that has stated it is looking for another front-line starter. Rodriguez said on Wednesday he would be ready for spring training, giving hope to the Angels that they have found a pitcher who can be a long-term answer for them on the mound. Rodriguez is not scheduled to be a free agent until the 2030 season. If Rodriguez can stay healthy and produce in Anaheim, it would be a gut punch for an Orioles team that is looking to get back into the postseason conversation in 2026. However, time will tell if those bone spurs are truly the answer to Rodriguez staying healthy and on the field.
The Atlanta Falcons' once bright future has turned sour. On Wednesday, reports confirmed that second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a partially torn ACL, requiring surgery that will have him out until mid-August 2026. Without a training camp or full preseason, Penix's status for the start of the 2026 season is in doubt. Michael Penix Jr.'s injury update complicates Falcons' future When controversially selecting Penix at No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a contract worth $180 million ($100M guaranteed), Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot reasoned that it would provide stability once Cousins eventually moved on after years spent trying to find former longtime starter Matt Ryan's replacement. Instead, Atlanta is still without a legitimate franchise quarterback. And absent what's trending toward becoming a top-10 first-round pick after a misguided 2025 draft-day trade with the Los Angeles Rams, the Falcons won't have many good options to improve at the position this offseason. Penix's injury could put the team in a difficult spot next offseason, when Atlanta must decide whether to pick up his 2028 fifth-year option. The 2023 Heisman finalist may only qualify for the basic amount, which is projected to be $22.933M for the 2023 first-round quarterback class. That number would rise for the 2024 class, and that's a considerable amount for a player who hasn't proved to be worth that much. (h/t Over the Cap) In 12 career starts, Penix is 224-of-376 (59.6 percent) for 2,719 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Penix will need to show a lot next year, coming off reconstructive knee surgery, to solidify himself as part of Atlanta's future plans. That doesn't bode well for him or the Falcons, who have several outstanding contract situations to resolve. Tight end Kyle Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, is on an expiring deal. He's been a huge disappointment, but the Falcons don't have a viable replacement behind him. Wideout Drake London is set to play on his fifth-year rookie option next season and would be a holdout candidate if he's unable to work out a long-term deal. Two-time second-team All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III is also set to play on an expiring deal and should request an extension before taking the field next year. Owner Arthur Blank must determine how much money is worth putting into a team that might be a season or two away from contending, possibly leading to difficult conversations. Players like London, Bates and running back Bijan Robinson, who will be in his fourth NFL season in 2026, would command massive returns on the trade market. As talented as the three are, they're being wasted in Atlanta, which has nothing to show for their contributions. With Penix set for a long recovery timeline, things are unlikely to improve much next season, setting the trio up for another year compiling meaningless stats. The Falcons will eventually have to make decisions on all of their young stars, including Penix. His season-ending injury gives them fewer data points to make an informed call while also stalling his development. A season that began with hope has slowly morphed into another nightmare for Atlanta. It could be a while before the Falcons wake.
There is a chance that the 2023 draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers turns out to be one of the best in decades for Pittsburgh. From the first round through the seventh, Pittsburgh found starters at various critical positions. Honestly, the most polarizing of those players would be LT Broderick Jones, who, on his best day, is an average LT in the league, but still starter-worthy. But it was the names in rounds two through seven that made that class special. Names like Darnell Washington, Joey Porter Jr., Payton Wilson, Keeanu Benton, and Spencer Anderson. But the very last pick in that draft for the Steelers arguably had the most potential of anyone selected, but unfortunately, he will miss the rest of the season yet again. Cory Trice goes to the season-ending Ir After missing his entire rookie season due to a knee injury suffered in camp, Trice finally made his debut in 2024, playing in six games and recording his first NFL interception. He would miss time last year as well, however, and despite practicing at various times this year, he was just never ready to go and the Steelers had to shut down his season after keeping him on IR after the 21-day activation window. Injury was the only reason that Trice fell to the 7th round in 2023. A long corner with lanky limbs and excellent agility and speed given his size, Trice was nicknamed one half of the 'avatar corners' alongside Joey Porter Jr. by Mike Tomlin. But unfortunately, it seems that Trice's lower half just can't find a way to stay injury-free. He is still under contract for 2026, but the Steelers would save over $1 million against the cap and free up a roster spot in the process if they parted ways. And that's where things get hard for Omar Khan. Do you hold out hope for a player in his prime who has battled injuries for over a half decade at this point, or do you address the position in the NFL Draft, letting Trice start fresh and move on? It's far from an easy decision given that Trice will be a vested veteran and incur all the benefits that come with that label should he make a roster next season. But betting on football players to get healthier as their career goes on is a fast way to lose money. But when that player comes with a lengthy injury past, you might as well just burn it. This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.



