PROVO — Over the past six years, Fui Vakapuna has experienced some of the best and worst times in BYU football history, including two losing seasons and a pair of conference championships.
Now, Vakapuna's journey is winding down. He is one of 15 seniors who will play for the last time at LaVell Edwards Stadium on Saturday when the Cougars entertain San Diego State.
It wasn't until team meetings on Monday afternoon that Vakapuna allowed himself to think about this weekend marking his final game in Provo. Asked about his BYU career, Vakapuna remembered the many ups and downs that have occurred.
"It's been a roller coaster," Vakapuna said. Same could be said for the BYU football program in general.
When the senior running back signed with the Cougars in February 2002, the head coach was Gary Crowton; the uniforms and logo were a radical departure from the past, and Vakapuna was part of perhaps the most highly touted recruiting class in school history.
That class of 2002 included Ben Olson, the No. 1-ranked prep quarterback in the country who never played for the Cougars because he transferred to UCLA; running back Curtis Brown, who ended up being the top rusher in BYU history; and linebacker Bryan Kehl, who now plays for the New York Giants.
Other members of that class were offensive lineman Jake Kuresa, tight ends Jonny Harline and Daniel Coats, and current Cougars Kellen Fowler and Andrew George.
During his first two years in Provo, as a redshirt in 2002 and as a redshirt freshman in 2003, BYU suffered consecutive losing campaigns (5-7 and 4-8) for the first time since the early 1970s. Then Vakapuna left for an LDS mission to San Diego and returned two years later to find Bronco Mendenhall at the helm. The program's traditional logo and uniform were back, and a new attitude was permeating the program.
These days, the No. 17 Cougars are 8-1 and two-time defending Mountain West Conference champions. They have won 17 consecutive home games. What's been the difference?
"Bringing back that tradition and spirit," Vakapuna said. "It wasn't there when I was first here. When I came back, I saw the responsibility and accountability and the unity everybody has now. You attribute that to Bronco and his staff. It's great winning and going to bowl games. I didn't get that my first two years I was here.
"It's a blessing to experience it now."
Physically, Vakapuna has been hampered by a variety of injuries throughout his career, but he is grateful that he has been healthy this season.
Another senior, linebacker David Nixon, joined the program in 2003. Nixon started a couple of games as a freshman, left on a mission, and he has been a key contributor to the Cougars' defense the past three years.
Like Vakapuna, Nixon was part of a losing season in '03. He is gratified by how far the program has come in recent years.
"The mind-set has all changed. We realized that we had the potential to do it. We just needed to be pushed," he said. "That's something coach Mendenhall has brought out in us. He's pushed us this entire time to achieve our goals and play our hardest.
"That's what we've been doing these last three years. It's been awesome. The last two years, we've finished in the top 15 in the nation. This year, hopefully, we'll finish out higher. There's not much more you can ask for — two Mountain West Conference championships and, hopefully, a third this year. It's been a great ride."
As that ride draws to a close, Nixon said it will be an emotional experience when he takes the field for the last time at Edwards Stadium on Saturday.
"It's crazy. My time has come. My four years here have flown by. It's my senior year and my last home game," Nixon said. "It's something I've thought about for years, looking at that stadium and thinking, 'One day I'll have to play my last game in there.' It's here this week."
He and the rest of the seniors share a bond, Nixon said.
"We've grown together. I've been through some ups and downs, and other guys have, too. It's been great to be 8-1 and we're bowl-eligible. My freshman year, our whole goal was to be bowl-eligible. It wasn't our goal to win the Mountain West. It was just to be bowl-eligible."
While Nixon and Vakapuna can appreciate winning, Mendenhall appreciates the senior class for their leadership, dedication and contributions to the program.
"These seniors have had a lot of wins," the Cougars' coach said. "And I feel so good that they've had a positive experience here, not only on the field, because the winning certainly helps that, but I think they've helped forge the direction of the program and seen it come, not to a complete fruition, but a direction established where they've put their link in it as well, as the previous two teams have.
"The gratitude that I feel for these kids is hard to explain because without them being who they are and trying so hard and embracing this very unique approach which we've taken, we wouldn't have future success, nor would we have had the success in the past.
"Guys like David Nixon really deserve the credit. Simply all I've done is try to set the direction, but they're the ones who have claimed it and led the team. I just love being around them. ... I'm indebted to them and glad that they've had success," Mendenhall said.
Vakapuna hopes the impact he and his teammates have had on the program will be long-lasting.
"When I come back 10 years from now," he said, "and there's a legacy here and me being a part of it would be a great honor to have."
BYU-OKLAHOMA IN '09?: Mendenhall confirmed Tuesday that BYU is being considered for some early season games next fall, including a scenario that would pit the Cougars against the Sooners in Dallas, possibly at the new home of the Dallas Cowboys. Negotiations are reportedly ongoing between the two schools and ESPN.
"It is still premature, and I don't think anything has been solidified," Mendenhall said. "What I can tell you is that we were being considered, and what has happened from there, I am not certain. But I can verify the consideration part of it."
BYU has one non-conference slot to fill for next season, with three non-conference games already scheduled (at Arizona State, Florida State, at Utah State). BYU and Oklahoma have met only once — in the 1994 Copper Bowl. The Cougars won, 31-6.
Cougars on the air
San Diego St. (1-8, 0-5) at No. 17 BYU (8-1, 4-1)
Saturday, noon
LaVell Edwards Stadium
TV: The mtn.
Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM
Live game blog:deseretnews.com/blogs
E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com