Now was it widely held that he wasn’t playing well? Absolutely! Because he wasn’t playing well. PFF had him rated horribly. Nowhere near even being good at the run game, and his tenacity was questionable at best. As he said, it is what it is.
Did people want him to succeed here? You bet! Are people happy that he’s playing much better? Emphatic yes.
But I don’t recall personal slights or condemnation of him as a person. I’ve seen how some fanbases treat perceived busts or underachievers, and I genuinely think Cougar Nation treats is players—good, bad, and in between, better than most. Perhaps there were some personal slight that reached Caleb’s ears . I just think most fans wanted, and still want to see him succeed at BYU and beyond, in football or otherwise.