▁program ▁for ▁▁ ▁Id aho ▁made ▁the ▁play offs ▁ 1 1 ▁times ▁and ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁semif inals ▁twice ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁( 1 9 8 8 , ▁ 1 9 9 3 ). ▁ ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁university ▁president ▁Ch uck ▁St aben ▁announced ▁the ▁football ▁program ▁would ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁Big ▁Sky ▁and ▁FC S ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁This ▁followed ▁the ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁Conference ' s ▁announ cement ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 ▁that ▁the ▁associate ▁membership ▁of ▁Id aho ▁and ▁New ▁Mexico ▁State ▁for ▁football ▁would ▁end ▁after ▁the ▁ ▁Id aho ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁F BS ▁program ▁to ▁volunt arily ▁drop ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁( 1 8 9 3 – 1 9 7 7 ) ▁ ▁The ▁University ▁of ▁Id aho ▁field ed ▁its ▁first ▁football ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁It ▁wasn ' t ▁until ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁that ▁the ▁program ▁earned ▁its ▁nick name , ▁the ▁V and als , ▁after ▁the ▁UI ▁basketball ▁team ▁under ▁al umn us ▁H ec ▁Edmund son ▁played ▁defense ▁with ▁such ▁fer ocity ▁that ▁they ▁" v andal ized " ▁their ▁oppon ents ▁and , ▁thus , ▁the ▁nick name ▁of ▁V and als ▁was ▁adopted ▁for ▁all ▁school ▁sports . ▁Fred ▁Her bold ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁V and als ▁head ▁football ▁coach ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁compiling ▁a ▁record ▁of ▁