Idaho had a smashing end to their 2016 season with a high-scoring 61-50 victory over Colorado State in the Potato Bowl in Boise on Thursday night. After the game, the emotions of winning a game against a Mountain West Conference opponent ran wild from the Idaho football program, and that moment of victory may have gotten the best of Idaho quarterback Matt Linehan. Linehan fired off a shot at university president Chuck Staben and the school’s decision to drop from the FBS ranks in 2018.
“We belong in FBS period. That’s what I believe, that’s what everyone believes,” Linehan said. “We know we can compete, we belong here. No matter what anyone thinks, even our tone deaf president. Maybe he doesn’t think we belong here, but I think we belong here.”
Asked about those strong words in the postgame press conference by Michael Katz of The Idaho Statesman, Linehan was quick to apologize for his comments.
I asked Idaho QB Matt Linehan about his strong post game comments. He handled it with maturity. pic.twitter.com/kMNv8WA2rN
— Michael Katz (@MichaelLKatz) December 23, 2016
Idaho is scheduled to become the first football program to drop from the FBS down to the FCS in 2018. The Vandals, along with New Mexico State, will play one more year in the Sun Belt Conference before moving into the Big Sky Conference in 2018.