Christian Ponder never heard boos when he played in high school in Texas. He claims he didn’t hear any at Florida State, either.

“It hasn’t happened before, until I got here,” the Vikings’ quarterback said Wednesday.

Ponder was booed at times when he struggled in games last season, his third in the NFL. Then, during the Vikings’ preseason opener Aug. 8 against Oakland, he was razzed by home fans at TCF Bank Stadium.

That prompted offensive coordinator Norv Turner to express his disappointment Tuesday in how fans have treated Ponder, who has dropped to third-string after being Minnesota’s primary starter the past three years.

“I was obviously very disappointed in the opening game the way our fans reacted to Christian because I think he’s done everything he can do, and he’s working his butt off, and I think he’s a guy that’s going to be valuable to our team,” Turner said.

Ponder heard what Turner said and appreciated it. Ponder also hears the boos, and he does what he can to ignore them.

“I think everyone hears it,” Ponder said. “It’s part of the game, so it’s whatever. I block it out. I do hear it, but I understand why they’re doing it. But for me, I’ve got to go out there and play regardless of what they’re doing.”

So, according to Ponder, why are they doing it?

“Honestly, I didn’t play as well when I had my opportunities, so usually the boos come out when that happens,” Ponder said.

The fans’ boos in the preseason game two weeks ago probably were less about his performance that night — he completed 3 of 7 passes for 39 yards while playing much of the second half in a 10-6 Vikings victory — than about Ponder’s career since the Vikings made him the No. 12 pick in the 2011 draft.

Ponder has fallen to third-string behind likely starter Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater, likely to be the primary backup as a rookie. The Vikings already might have dumped Ponder if he wasn’t due a guaranteed $1.76 million this season.

“I think Norv can say whatever he wants (about the fans treatment of Ponder), and I think that Christian deserves to be treated like a Viking,” Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said.

“I agree with Norv,” wide receiver Greg Jennings said. “He’s a part of our team. He’s a part of this organization. He’s been part of this organization for the last four years, so, if you boo one of us, you boo all of us. We’re a team.”

Ponder didn’t play last Saturday’s game against Arizona. Zimmer said he could see some action in Saturday’s third preseason game, at Kansas City, which Cassel will start.

Cassel returns to the city where he played for the Chiefs from 2009-12 and heard numerous boos during his final season before he lost his starting job to Brady Quinn. Ponder said he and Cassel have talked about handling negativity from fans.

“He’s always come to my defense, and we’ve talked about it before,” Ponder said. “He’s just kind of said that he stood up for me and told me to block it out and just stay focused on what I’m doing.”

For now, Ponder is trying to do the best he can despite limited game action and reps in practice.

“I’m not asking for a trade,” he said. “I’m learning so much right now. I do feel like it’s beneficial for me to be right here right now. As a competitor, though, you want to be the guy that’s out there playing. But I do feel like in the situation I’m in right now, I am getting better though I’m not playing.”

Follow Chris Tomasson at twitter.com/ christomasson.