TAMPA, Fla. - On the field, USF senior running back Nay'Quan Wright and junior defensive end Tramel Logan share the number five.
It wasn't long ago, however, that Wright and Logan lineup up opposite one another on the high school football fields of South Florida.
"We played one time and I got him. I mean, we beat him one time," Wright recalled. "My senior year we beat them and then his senior year they beat us."
That was back when Wright was a star running back at Carol City high school in Miami and Logan was one year behind at Booker T Washington.
Pictured: Tramel Logan
Growing up in the Miami area, meanwhile, had a profound effect on both Wright and Logan.
"The first thing you did would be to go outside. Before we even brushed our teeth, we were trying to play football," said Logan.
So, perhaps it was fate that sent the Bulls running back, and defensive lineman back home for their final game of the season, this week.
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"It really didn't matter where we were going to play," said Logan. "For me, I was just excited we made a bowl game. It was just the cherry on top playing in Boca."
With the Bulls set to play Syracuse in the Boca Raton Bowl Thursday, both Logan and Wright will be a stone's throw from home.
And both will have a sizable cheering section inside the stadium.
"I've got at least 15-plus coming," said Wright.
While the Boca Raton Bowl will give both Tramel Logan and Nay'Quan Wright a chance to be closer to home, the game will also bring Wright closer to a painful childhood memory.
"Bullets got fired, and our coaches started yelling to get down. So we got down," Wright remembered.
When Nay'Quan was just an 11-year-old football player in his hometown of Opa-locka, his youth football team was caught in the crossfire of a drive by shooting.
Pictured: Nay'Quan Wright
While trying to crawl to safety, the 11-year-old Wright was hit by a ricochet bullet under his right arm.
"When it happened, they rushed me to the hospital," Wright recalled. "I was just asking the doctor if I would be able to play in this upcoming game because we had a game Saturday, and it was a playoff game."
While it would take the young Wright another five months to recover, he never lost his drive to return to the football field as soon as possible.
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"I just thanked the man above for blessing me with, not just another opportunity at life, but another opportunity to play this game," said Wright.
Now, looking back, Wright doesn't shy away from one of the scariest days of his life.
"I don't regret nothing about it," he said. "I actually appreciate it and cherish the moment that taught me adversity."
This week, however, the only adversity Wright will be facing is the Syracuse Orange defense.
As both Nay'Quan Wright and Tramel Logan get a chance to be home for the holidays in front of friends, family, and cheering fans.