Idaho's Linehan after Potato Bowl win: School president 'tone deaf'

It's safe to say Chuck Staben won't be getting a Christmas card from quarterback Matt Linehan this holiday season.

Following the Vandals' impressive 61-50 win over Colorado State to capture the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Linehan didn't mince words in looking ahead to the future of the Idaho program. The Potato Bowl MVP took shots at school president Staben and the program's impending transition to the FCS in 2018.

"We belong in FBS period. That's what I believe, that's what everyone believes," Linehan said following the game, according to ESPN Radio. "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."

Related: Idaho dropping to FCS beginning with 2018 season

Idaho announced it would be dropping to the FCS in April, and Staben made multiple statements citing cost as a deciding factor.

''To become successful enough to affiliate with any FBS conference would require unjustifiable and unsustainable expenditures,'' Staben said in April. ''Competing as an independent with an extremely uncertain conference affiliation would be irresponsible, especially when we have the alternative of joining one of the most prominent and stable FCS conferences.''

Linehan, the son of Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, will play his senior season in Idaho's last as an FBS program. Despite not being directly affected, the quarterback is clearly passionate about the program, and the recent success of the team begs the question of whether or not the move should be revisited.

Vandals head coach Paul Petrino also gave fans some food for thought pertaining to the future of the program.