Payton Thorne, the quarterback for Auburn, has pointed out a noticeable behavior from fans as the Tigers face challenges on offense after two games this season.

Following a 21-14 defeat to California in Week 2, where Thorne had five turnovers, he disclosed that some Auburn supporters have been asking him for refunds on Venmo after losing bets related to him. He shared these experiences during a Tuesday interview on “The Next Round” podcast.

“They’re not sending money my way,” Thorne stated in the Tuesday discussion. “It’s amusing; when they lose cash, they expect it back. But when they win from a parlay, no one ever sends me anything.”

This reaction came up as Thorne talked about how he manages criticism from fans regarding his recent performance issues.

“People say to ignore it, but that’s easier said than done. Nowadays, criticism can come from all directions,” Thorne said. “You hear it in person, which is probably the mildest form, but even walking down the street, it can pop up.”

“Then, there’s social media, plus they hit me up on Venmo and other platforms. It’s crucial to filter that out, going back to what’s important in my life—my faith and my family. I try to focus on what’s ahead; there’s nothing I can change about Saturday now, but I can manage today.”

In his game against the Golden Bears, Thorne had a tough outing, completing 14 out of 27 pass attempts for 165 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions. He also ran the ball 15 times for 43 yards, adding another score, but lost a fumble as well.

Auburn’s head coach, Hugh Freeze, mentioned that redshirt freshman Hank Brown has been practicing in the quarterback position alongside Thorne, who has previously started for four years and is now in his second season with the Tigers.

“I anticipate both of them will approach their practices properly and have a strong week,” Freeze said. “However, it’s clear that execution in practice needs to translate to actual games, which I’ve seen to some extent, but there are also times where the results leave you questioning what’s happening.”

“It’s tough to bench a player, whether it’s Payton or anyone else, who consistently has great performances in practice. But sometimes, changes are necessary, and I assure you we’re ready to adapt to that if things don’t improve.”

This transfer from Michigan State has completed 27 of 48 passes this season (56.3%) for 487 yards and has thrown five touchdowns, against four interceptions. Thorne was the starting quarterback for Auburn last season, accumulating 1,755 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, in addition to rushing for 515 yards with three touchdowns.