“Groomed Into This”: CJ Stroud Credits ‘Decorated’ College Career as Houston Texans End 3-Year Playoff Drought

C.J. Stroud’s triumphant embrace with his family marked the culmination of his promise in July. At a local Houston camp, the quarterback confidently declared that the Texans would “shock the world.” On Saturday night, Stroud turned that declaration into reality as the Houston Texans secured a playoff spot with a 23-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

This achievement defied preseason expectations and pushed Stroud to become worthy of praise. He embraced the recent victory on The Pat McAfee Show, where he explained how he felt winning the crucial game for his team. Stroud delved into his college days and shared how and where he was shaped into it.

CJ Stroud talks about the victory in high regard

In the Texans’ inaugural prime-time showdown of the season, C.J. Stroud delivered an impressive performance, completing 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards, and two touchdowns, and boasting a stellar passer rating of 134.1. This stellar showing on Saturday night marked the culmination of Stroud’s outstanding rookie season, where he concluded with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a notable passer rating of 100.8.

Notably, Stroud etched his name in NFL history, becoming only the fifth rookie to achieve the remarkable milestone of surpassing 4,000 passing yards in a single season. On the recent episode of The Pac McAfee Show, Stroud said, “I really feel like I was kind of groomed into this. Going to Ohio State, winning a lot of big games, losing a lot of big games, having to be the leader on the team every when everything hits the fan.”

Furthermore, he added, “Everybody’s looking at you and at that point it was like 108,000 in our Stadium um but now it’s a little less but it’s still a lot of pressure.” Stroud had already proved his might during his college days, so playing for the Texans and performing wasn’t too overwhelming for the quarterback.

Revisiting Stroud’s glory days in college

Coleridge Bernard Stroud IV, known as C.J. Stroud, has left an indelible mark on the Ohio State football program with several noteworthy achievements. Notably, he holds the record for the most passing yards in a single game for the Buckeyes. The two-time Heisman Trophy finalist’s distinction extends further as he became the first player in the team’s history to throw six touchdowns on three separate occasions.

This remarkable success at the collegiate level propelled Stroud to forgo his remaining two years of college eligibility for the opportunity to embark on a professional career in the NFL. It’s worth noting that Stroud’s outstanding performance earned him recognition in the NCAA football world. Houston Texans previously shared a video where Stroud told his story-“My Home, My game.”

For him, football came into the picture in his “freshman sophomore, and in high school.” He wasn’t serious about the game until sophomore year. It was the camps that nurtured him and got him to take the game seriously. C.J. Stroud’s collegiate journey at Ohio State is marked by a series of prestigious accolades. Notably, he secured the Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year award twice. Stroud earned this distinction in 2021 and 2022 within the Big Ten Conference.

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Additionally, Stroud claimed the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year honor. His remarkable debut season was recognized with the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year award in 2021, a testament to his impactful performance as a freshman. Stroud’s college career ended with an impeccable 21-4 record as the Buckeyes’ starter.

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