POCATELLO – Whether they know it or not, Idaho State’s football players are at the center of a headline-grabbing war of words.

A group of ISU alumni and boosters are pitted against the ISU administration in an apparent stalemate to be determined by who folds first. We’re withholding funds, the boosters say, unless the school’s higher-ups are ousted. You’re only hurting the athletes, ISU says, the choice is yours.

The Bengals completed day six of fall camp Wednesday morning. A short time later, ISU President Arthur Vailas announced his retirement, effective late June 2019.

Does the move give withholding boosters sharpened teeth? Vailas says not a chance. ISU’s players? They’re blocking everything out.

“Just control what you can control,” Bengals redshirt junior linebacker Joe Martin said. “If you’re not out here on the field with us, working, losing weight, sweating, blood, all that, it don’t really matter what you think or say about us. Unless you’re a fan coming to the game supporting us.”

Much of ISU’s practice equipment is labeled with donor logos and initials, lending to the importance of outside donations to the athletic programs. Idaho State’s athletic contributions in 2016 were the school’s lowest since 2005, according to a study of Division I athletic programs performed by USA Today. Therefore, the boosters say, ISU can’t survive without the money.

We’ll see, ISU responds, are you sure you aren’t bluffing?

“I appreciate everything that everybody does,” Bengals redshirt senior offensive lineman Skyler Phillips said. “Not just the boosters, not just the athletic department, not just the administrative department, everybody. We’re all a team. We all work together.”

A team divided on the outside doesn’t translate to the team inside, the players say. Even a team whose members separate, smack each other and run around with a killer’s mentality.

They always find a way to work toward a common goal.

“We play for each other,” Bengals redshirt senior linebacker Mario Jenkins said. “We don’t worry abut the negativity.”