Another day, and something else negative is happening with the Florida State football program. FSU starting safety Ashlynd Barker was on a live stream talking with folks, and he got asked some specific questions regarding the program.
It was one of those instances where the player probably doesn’t realize the power of social media in the moment, and he said some things he genuinely felt that probably were better left behind doors or in the locker room.
Barker commented on his decision to return to the team after announcing intentions to enter the transfer portal. He spoke about thinking everyone was planning to stay at FSU, but some other players decided to enter the portal and went elsewhere. He spoke about the number of players who have entered the portal and how they might struggle to practice in the spring because the entire freshman class of 30 players won’t all arrive for spring camp, while nearly 40 players have entered the portal.
It didn’t take long for those comments to spread on social media via FSU’s rabid fan base. Barker issued the following apology on Tuesday:
I would like to apologize for some of the comments I made during my live stream yesterday. I did not choose my words as well as I could have in response to a couple of questions presented to me. I love Florida State and have tried to represent it well in my time here. I am…
— Ashlynd Barker (@AshlyndBarker) January 13, 2026
Should he have issued the apology or stood by what he said?
One thing is for sure: FSU fans are not going to let anything slide. They are fed up with players acting like they don’t want to be at Florida State, negotiating for more money, or acting as if they don’t care if the team is good or not.
Barker’s apology probably fell on deaf ears at this point. Also, he’s right in the fact that the coaching staff or back office probably made a mistake signing that many freshmen when they all won’t be early enrollees.
However, it doesn’t help when we saw former FSU safety Edwin Joseph act up during a game, then come on social media to apologize for it, only to do some more childish stuff on social media a few weeks later.
Players need to understand that fans will rock with them all day long if they care about wearing the school colors. It’s as simple as that. It’s when they act as if they couldn't care less about being at Florida State that the fans turn on players and coaches. An apology isn’t going to change that sentiment once it sets in. He would have been better off probably not saying anything and it wouldn't have gotten as big as it did.