Ohio State football players don’t just learn to be winning players during their tenures at the university, they are also forced to be proficient at navigating the absurd level of hate they deal with on social media.
The Ohio State Buckeyes program is one of the most prestigious in all of collegiate football. There is a great deal of pressure that comes with putting on that legendary silver helmet and red jersey. The expectations each season on players is far from run of the mill because aren’t obligated to just get better as players, but fans want them to take their games to a level that helps them contend for the limited playoff spots and national championship.
However, one unexpected talent that Ohio State football players eventually become versed in is avoiding the various hate they receive from diehard fans unhappy with certain game day results.
Related: College football games today – Get watch times for the next set of bowl games
During a Thursday media day, before the team’s Peach Bowl playoff matchup against No. 1 Georgia, Heisman Trophy candidate CJ Stroud spoke about the hate he endured on social media recently after the Buckeyes’ season-ending loss to Michigan and doing the best he can to brush it off.
“I don’t really look, but people have the audacity to call me and tell me what people say. So, I do hear it, and it is what it is. It comes with the nature of the beast. You can’t accept the good and not accept the bad.”
– CJ Stroud (via ESPN)
Teenage Ohio State football players shocked by comments they get from adults on social media
Stroud took the brunt of the negative reactions for Ohio State football players this season since he is a major NFL prospect and plays the top position on the roster. Many of his fellow Buckeyes sympathize with the uncanny pressure he faces, and it has led quite a few of them to stay off social media this year. This is unfortunate since it’s a favorite pastime of individuals in their 18 to 22 age bracket.
Yet, ridiculous fan hate is often one of the more bizarre elements of the gig, especially for players at powerhouse schools like Ohio State. A school with a deep-rooted fan base that includes adults willing to unleash vitriol toward players who are teens or barely in their 20s. It is something senior cornerback Cam Brown specifically spoke about seeing his teenage teammates go through in recent years.
“People talk bad on people, they don’t understand we’re young. Grown people are talking crazy about children because something didn’t go right. We tried not to look at our phones because it’s going to make us think bad about people we don’t want to.”
– Cam Brown
It is certainly something older fans of the sport, who probably have kids the same age, should keep in mind when they are rooting for their favorite schools on Saturdays.
The Ohio State football team’s matchup with the top-ranked squad in the nation, the Georgia Bulldogs, goes down in primetime on ESPN, at 8 PM ET on New Year’s Eve.