For the Ricks College football team, which will go by its original namesake instead of the school's new name BYU-Idaho, it's the "Last of the Vikings."
That's the motto the team has adopted this year for its final football season, and the team hopes to close out the program with a Western States Football League title. The final journey begins Saturday against Pima Community College (Ariz).
To win a championship, the team will have to avoid mistakes it made early last season. The Vikings were devastated after the school announced it would be dropping all athletic programs. They started slow and lacked focus on the field.
"It really affected us last year," Ricks coach Ron Haun said. "It shocked the coaches especially."
But the Vikings improved as the season progressed and finished 8-3. Ricks then capped its season with a 45-14 whipping of Snow in the Real Dairy Bowl.
Haun knows his team can't start slow this season if it wants to compete for the WSFL championship.
"We learned from last year," Haun said. "We can't dwell on anything we can't control."
Haun said elimination of the athletic programs at Ricks could actually work as an advantage for the Vikings this year. Being the final team at Ricks has given them a rallying cry and helped team chemistry.
"We've got a rich tradition and the kids bought into it," Haun said.
The Vikings are used to high expectations and the final season will be no different.
"We expect to win every game on the schedule," Haun said. "We'll be a solid football team."
Leading the way for Ricks will be returning starting offensive lineman Aaron Acker and Cade McMullin. The Vikings also have a strong tight end combination of Jon Clark and Johnny Harline. Clark, the younger brother of 49ers tight end and Ricks alum Greg Clark, will also handle the punting duties.
"He may be our best all-around athlete," Haun said.
Sean Tidwell and Carl Tuitavuki anchor the defensive line. Linebacker Kody Kraus, who placed nationally in the hurdles, is expected to be a force. Cornerback Ben Allen returns from last year's team.
The returning starters will be helped by a nice group of freshmen, who Haun said is as good a recruiting class as any he's had. Because of an NCAA rule that allows players to transfer from a program that was dropped, athletes went to Ricks without having to worry about losing eligibility and possibly playing at a Division 1-A school for three years instead of two.
"Everyone is eligible to transfer and they have an extra year to find a four-year school," Haun said.
To win a WSFL title in its last season will be a daunting task for the Vikings, who will compete with rivals Dixie, who is ranked No. 1 in the nation, and Snow, as well as defending national champion Glendale Community College (Ariz). The league championship could come down to a Nov. 3 showdown between Ricks and Dixie in St. George.
A WSFL title would be the eighth for Haun, who has also finished second in the nation three times. His Vikings played for the national championship in 1998 and lost to Butler (Kan.) 22-18 in the Real Dairy Bowl. Haun compiled a 168-39-2 record at Ricks for an 82.3 winning percentage.
Losing the football program was rough for Haun, who will coach his 20th season at Ricks.
"I stayed too long," he said. "I had the best job in the nation. I had opportunities to go other places. Now I'll be on the bread line looking for a job."
E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com