Michigan State names five team captains for 2024 season
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State head coach Jonathan Smith on Monday announced five team captains for the 2024 season: sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles, redshirt junior running back Nate Carter, sixth-year center Tanner Miller, redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Turner and sixth-year defensive tackle Maverick Hansen.
“Proud to announce our captains for this season! It’s a big time honor, as voted on by their teammates, recognizing their hard work and impact on our team!” Smith wrote in the Twitter post he used to announce the captains.
This is the first year since Mark Dantonio’s final season in 2019 that Michigan State will have season-long captains. Former head coach Mel Tucker opted to name weekly captains during his three-year tenure, and interim head coach Harlon Barnett continued that trend following Tucker’s firing early last season.
Of the five captains, only Hansen began his career at Michigan State. Chiles, Miller and Turner are all new to the program this season.
Chiles, the presumptive starter at quarterback for Michigan State, begins the 2024 season with high expectations after flashing his potential in limited action at Oregon State last year. The 18-year-old Chiles completed 68.6 percent of his passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in nine games as a freshman. The former four-star recruit also ran the ball 17 times for 79 yards and three touchdowns.
Carter chose to return to East Lansing after rushing 185 times for 798 yards and four touchdowns in his debut season for the Spartans last fall. Michigan State’s new staff will look to utilize the former Connecticut transfer as a receiving threat out of the backfield after he posted 22 receptions for 103 yards last season.
Miller transferred from Oregon State to Michigan State this offseason after earning First Team All-Pac 12 honors last season. The former walk-on started 10 games at right guard for the Beavers in 2023, but Spartan offensive line coach Jim Michalczik confirmed that he will start at center this season.
Turner comes in from Wisconsin, where he played four seasons. The Farmington, Mich., native ranked third on the team with 61 tackles last season. He also finished with a career-best 6.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Turner will help lead a deep, experienced linebacker room for Michigan State this fall.
Hansen’s fist season at Michigan State was Dantonio’s last. The longest-tenured player on the Spartan roster, Hansen returns for one final season after posting 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pass break-up last fall. Hansen was a regular weekly captain last season for Michigan State.
Michigan State will face Florida Atlantic in its season opener at Spartan Stadium on Aug. 30.
