The administration was put in a bad situation with the way state funding was cut, but that doesn't excuse the way they handled their end. They promised the previous coach incentive bonuses for performance, which he previously met and they tried to deny him. They also owe it to the team to provide a safe environment to train in, safe equipment and uniforms, and the team shouldn't have to bus halfway across the country when the AD and President are flying by plane.
It sounds like the previous coach tried to make the best of a bad situation. He tried to raise money and circumvent the chain of command. Yeah, this is usually frowned upon, but if the chain of command is going to try and block your good deed...sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. I don't fault the coach there, and I don't fault the players for taking a stand. I assume Grambling doesn't bring in a ton of money through their football program, but just about every football program makes more money than they spend and they typically cover costs of other athletic sports. If Grambling's football team is in the positive when it comes to the budget, theres no reason the team should have to stand for those poor conditions. If Grambling can't meet the basic needs of these players, they shouldn't have a football team and those kids should be allowed to transfer or continue on a scholarship without having to play.