Army football was lost in the woods for most of the 20th century and early 2000s but reached a bowl game for the first time in 14 years in 2010. That year Rich Ellerson finally got the Black Knight to 6-6 and a bowl berth. Then, after three years, Jeff Monken finally got his West Point program rolling to the postseason in five of the past six years.
Army football - and service academy football in general - is a different type of college football. They recruit a very specific type of player and tuck them away on actual JV teams for a few years before the juniors and seniors take over the starting rolls.