Plays USF made that didn't show up in the headlines helped turn the game at Army

Before we close the book on South Florida's win at Army, let's look back at a few things in that game that didn't get the attention they should have had. That's because of the eye-popping 38-yard touchdown pass on 4th-and-six from Michael Van Buren, Jr. to Joshua Porter to clinch the Bulls' 28-24 victory.

Obviously, that was the play everyone was (and probably still is) talking about.

But let's backtrack on some key events that had to happen for the Bulls to be in position for that dramatic play.

Go back to the first quarter on the Bulls' initial drive of the game. USF had 3rd-and-2 at Army's 10-yard line. Suddenly, backup quarterback Luke Kromenhoek came running onto the field with a play call.

Quarterback keeper.

He was hit in the backfield, but he's a big, strong guy and Army couldn't bring him down. He gained three yards, and on the next play Van Buren threw a 7-yard scoring strike to Bryson Rodgers.

Without Kromenhoek's contribution, the Bulls might have had to settle for a field goal. The extra points they got from the touchdown pass proved vital in their comeback win.

"Starting fast and that first drive wouldn't have been possible if it wasn't for Luke's toughness and Luke's ability to execute at a high level," head coach Brian Hartline said.

But speaking of Bryson Rodgers ...

It was the fourth quarter and the Bulls were down by 10 points with less than five minutes to play.

Rodgers caught four passes on USF's first five plays of the drive, totaling 47 yards, as the Bulls went to the no-huddle offense. His last catch, for nine yards, put the ball at Army's 24 yard line. On the next play, Van Buren ran it in for a touchdown to pull the Bulls within three with 3:13 remaining.

Keep hope alive.

But the defense couldn't allow Army to make a first down. That seemed problematic, since the Bulls had given up a pair of 90-yard drives in the game. Situations like this is where Army's ball-hogging ground game should thrive -- especially since the Black Knights had the ball near midfield after USF's unsuccessful onsides kick attempt.

The Bulls had other ideas. Two plays netted one yard for Army, and then linebacker Zavier Hamilton sacked quarterback Cade Hellums for a 6-yard loss, forcing a punt.

"I think that's huge," Hartline said. "It doesn't just happen in one player in one situation. It takes the whole team. Zay Hamilton did a great job providing pressure on the ultimate, the big one, and got an opportunity for us to get the ball back."

The game then had another one of "those" moments that got lost in the post-game euphoria of the winning touchdown pass.

Army's punt put USF back at its 4-yard line, but the Black Knights committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that gave the Bulls the ball at the 19.

Breathing room.

"(Army is the) least penalized team in the country and they have more penalties than we had. We should have started on the 4-yard line. Instead we served the 19-yard line line because we didn't retaliate, we didn't get a personal foul," Hartline said.

"They just provided an opportunity for us to have that much more of a chance of getting down to where we needed to be to get to kick the field goal and or score a touchdown.'

In two games, the Bulls have just seven penalties for 45 yards. They had only three flags for 15 yards against the Black Knights.

And yet, it's still a work in progress with an emphasis on getting the little things right.

"I think ultimately the results weren't going to dictate like how we operate week to week. That's how it's always going to be. And it's been clearly the message, I think, from day one. I do feel like we hit on that message. But I'm telling you, what I told these guys, wouldn't have changed based on results of the game. Our goals are reflected on our entire body of work," Hartline said.

" And so, we're trying to be a unified team. We're trying to earn the right to compete for a conference championship, and that doesn't get done with just one game. That's been the clear message. I don't think we're looking for a pat on the back. There's a job well done for one week."

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