I was a member of the ISU football team in 1970-1972. Was a member of the first team to play in the now Holt Arena. (Was called the Minidome in those days)
I would say the local community reception towards the Bengals has always been luke warm. I'm guessing most are more excited about Highland, Pocatello and Century High Schools than they are the Bengals. Maybe that is why ISU has to keep signing up for body bag games to finance football. (games with Utah and BYU this year)

Bengal football perhaps peaked in 1981 when ISU won the FCS national championship under Coach Dave Kragthorpe.

There have been plenty of lean times since. Even Kyle Whittingham couldn't work much magic as an assistant coach at ISU from 1988-1993.
Having grown up in Idaho it just seems to me that ISU football has always been seeking a football identity. Overshadowed by the Idaho Vandals in early Big Sky history and then watching Boise State arise as a national football power.

I ended up graduating from BYU in 1977. I appreciate ISU paying for two years of my college education. However, I think they have a rough road ahead for football success.