DILLON, Mont. -- Montana Western's spring camp is all wrapped up. And although the reigning Frontier Conference champs return plenty of firepower from last year's squad, it's really the start of a new era for Bulldog football.
With the conclusion of Saturday's spring game, that's it for Western's 75-year history at Vigilante Field. Their return to the gridiron will come at their new on-campus Bulldog Sports & Activities Complex, set to be completed in time for fall camp.
And as they leave the Vig behind, the 2024 Bulldogs are leaving their 2023 conference title with it.
"That was over the day it was done," head coach Ryan Nourse said. "That's in the past. What's in the future is an opportunity."
"I think we have a team that will challenge to be at the top of the Frontier," Nourse continued. "It's, 'Will we have the level of commitment to do the work to give us the opportunity to do it again?'"
Of course, they aren't leaving behind everything. Their tradition of being one of the Frontier's offensive powerhouses appears to be coming with, as reigning Offensive Player of the Year Michael Palandri, league-leading receiver Eli Nourse, and bulldozing All-Conference lineman Marcus Lombard head the charge.
And as opposed to last year's brutal season-opening road trip, the Bulldogs will get the pleasure of starting the 2024 campaign inside their shiny new stadium.
"We've got two good teams coming right to us right away, so it'll be fun," Palandri said. "The community will love it."
"I hope a lot of old Dogs come down to watch... we'll make 'em jealous," the junior quarterback added. "But it'll be fun."
If you ask coach, maybe too much fun.
"It's going to be a lot of excitement and enthusiasm, and a lot of distractions around what really matters, and that's just playing the football game," Nourse said. "I'll work just as hard if not harder to get the boys ready for that. Having turf doesn't give you an edge in winning."
Quotable as always, and always locked in, Nourse will have the Bulldogs back in shape for fall camp, then title defense begins against Eastern Oregon on Sept. 7.
We'll see in due time if they've got the "dog" in them to run it back.
