Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud is the son of Coleridge Bernard Stroud III and Kimberly Stroud. His family is from California. Stroud has three siblings. He was born as Coleridge Bernard Stroud IV in Rancho Cucamonga
Here’s what you need to know about C.J. Stroud’s family:
1. C.J. Stroud’s Father Is Serving a 38-Year Prison Sentence in California
According to Sports Illustrated and court records, C.J. Stroud’s dad, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, is currently serving a sentence of 38 years to life in prison in California. He is incarcerated at Folsom State Prison, records show. He pleaded guilty in 2015 to charges of kidnapping, robbery, carjacking and misdemeanor sexual battery in San Diego.
In an appeal filed in 2018, the elder Stroud, who was a pastor, said had returned to an addiction to drugs that had sent him to prison earlier in his life. Stroud’s father is fighting to get out of prison early, but as of now, he will not be eligible for parole until 2040, when he is 70, according to prison records. Stroud has not seen his father since about 2014, but they talk on the phone and he plans to visit him after the college football season ends, SI reported.
Stroud’s mother told SI, “He’s so proud of C.J. After the Heisman, C.J. is sitting there disappointed in the car, and his dad calls and they talked. At that time, that’s when I knew he forgave his dad.” Stroud said he has had a “roller coaster” of a life and has been to “hell and back,” SI wrote.
C.J. Stroud told SI, “My pops, he was my best friend, to have your best friend be snatched like that, it was tough. I just look at the things my dad did that were positive, but for a while, I wasn’t like that. I hated my pops, for real. Like man, how could you leave me like that?”
2. Stroud Credits His Mother With Keeping Their Family Together
CJ Stroud gives his mom credit for keeping their family and his life together. According to SI, Stroud’s family was financially ruined by his father’s issues and were homeless at one point while Stroud was in high school. Stroud told the Columbus Dispatch, “It sucked. But now it teaches me that money really doesn’t matter. Money really isn’t an object to me because it can be gone in the blink of an eye, which I think is a positive.”
Kim Stroud told the newspaper in September 2022, “We had a lot of support from a lot of different coaches on travel-ball teams. It took a village. Because he was so talented, there were so many people that kind of rallied around him and kept him involved. There were times where I couldn’t pay for certain equipment that he needed, but they would give C.J. the equipment anyway. But it was a hard time for C.J. from seventh grade into high school.”
Stroud told The Lantern in December 2021, “She did her best to try to keep me away from a lof of different negative things.” He said his mother, “tried to keep me in sports and tried to have coaches around like father figures,”
3. Stroud Has 2 Older Brothers & an Older Sister
GettyC.J. Stroud of the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Stroud has three older siblings, including a sister, Ciara, and two brothers, Isaiah and Ciara, according to the Ohio State website.
Stroud has turned to his brothers and sister for support. He told The Associated Press in December 2022, “I was talking to my mom and my cousins and my brother and my sister who came with me, and who would have thought? Honestly, like, I’m not even supposed to be here.”
Stroud said faith has been a key part of his family. He told The Lantern, “My faith, in high school and middle school, it kind of withered. I’ve been through a lot with my family, because, of course, my dad was a pastor and we went through what we went through. After I found Christ for myself, it just helped me out so much.”
4. Stroud & His Mother Have Embraced the Support of Their Ohio State Family
Like when he was growing up and coaches provided support as father figures, Stroud and his mother have embraced the Ohio State Buckeyes as another part of their family. His mother talked in an interview with WSYX in October 2022 about she and other team moms support their sons.
Monica Daniels, the mother of Paris Johnson Jr., told the news station, “We remind them of their purpose. We remind them that as long as they keep their focus on their academics, their focus on continue to chase perfection and greatness, and then everything will fall in line. They just have to truly dial in and remove themselves from all the distractions.”
Stroud has developed a close bond with his teammates. In talking about center Luke Wypler, he told The Columbus Dispatch in September 2022, “I love him to death. He’s my brother for life. He’s super smart, the smartest O-lineman I’ve ever met in my life.”
5. Stroud’s Full Name Comes From an 1800s Philosopher
GettyC.J. Stroud is the quarterback for Ohio State.
According to Cleveland.com, “Coleridge Bernard Stroud IV gets his name from a Greek philosopher from the 1800s. The name was originally given to his great grandfather and has been passed down to him. But nobody calls him that.”
His mother, Kim Stroud, and his family and friends call him “Cool Breeze.” His mother explained to Cleveland.com, “He’s a calm, cool breeze because you can never tell an emotion on him. Sometimes he’ll make little gestures or whatever, but he’s real cool-headed.”
Stroud said his family and friends have helped him stand up to pressure and social media attacks. He told Cleveland.com, “If it ain’t God, my family or my teammates, I could really care less what people have to say., Of course, I appreciate Buckeye Nation, and they’re awesome, but some of them are really critical. But I like that. It comes with it.”
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C.J. Stroud’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know