C.J. Stroud not paying attention to Heisman buzz, focused on Michigan State

On3 imageby:Austin Ward11/17/21

AWardSports

COLUMBUS — C.J. Stroud can control what he sees on social media, so the Ohio State quarterback is just not logging in.

It’s a little bit more difficult to keep his family members from passing along the growing hype about him, though. But Stroud is at least trying to get that flow of information to stop as well.

The Buckeyes quarterback has had to deal with the entire range of reactions to his first season as a starter, and both the positive and the negative can provide a distraction for a redshirt freshman going through it all for the first time. But Stroud has largely avoided the emotional roller-coaster, which is one key part of his rise into the top spot as the new odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.

Just don’t tell him about it.

“Right now I’m only focused on Michigan State,” Stroud said after practice on Wednesday. “We have two, hopefully three more games left. And at the end of the day I just want to win those games as a team.

C.J. Stroud-Ohio State-Buckeyes-Ohio State football
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is leading the Heisman Trophy race. (Birm/Lettermen Row)

“So whatever happens, happens. Of course, it’s a blessing just to even have my name up there. But I don’t even look at that type of stuff — at least I try not to. I even tell my family members not to send stuff like that to me. It’s just to really focus in on that opponent that week, which this week is Michigan State.”

The Buckeyes are certainly aware that the Spartans are arriving in the Horseshoe with a suspect passing defense that ranks as the worst in the country, which certainly isn’t ideal against the nation’s most explosive offense.

Stroud has seemingly been gaining confidence with every additional rep under his belt. And along with his talented trio of receivers in Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State has been seemingly breaking new records every week.

Along the way, that has positioned Stroud to potentially claim the most coveted individual trophy in the sport. But it’s only the team hardware that has his attention heading into the final two weeks of the regular season against Michigan State and rival Michigan.

“Any game you have to take it one at a time,” Stroud said. “We’ve got two great opponents coming up, but right now our focus is on Michigan State and beating them. Definitely I feel like you can lose any week, especially in college football.

“So we’re preparing for Michigan State right now.”

The potential for distractions is growing.

C.J. Stroud is doing whatever he can to keep them off his phone.

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