I'm sure he doesn't seek out fan opinions on the team at large, and specifically the defense, but I'm also sure a lot of it gets back to him from various sources. It seems like he's pretty good at laughing most of it off, but I can also understand why he'd be salty about some of the criticisms that have been leveled against his team, his staff, and Tuiaki. Some of that criticism is overblown, and 21-4 is nothing to scoff at.
At the same time, it isn't just a handful of fans leveling criticism against the defense. If you look at the commentary from the national media, the previews for this upcoming season have all been pretty much the same: this offense for the last 3 years has been exceptional and likely will be again this year, can the defense step up and match it? I think they can, but I also have my doubts, and all of those doubts stem from what we've seen on the field since Tuiaki has been here.
So I love that he's salty about the narrative around the defense. I love that he has the confidence to say that the defense and Tuiaki can prove the fans and media wrong. Let's just hope that saltiness translates to a better product on the field, and a special season to cap off independence and build momentum as we go into the Big 12.