Early in the second quarter of Oklahoma's spring game, Samaje Perine took the handoff and cruised towards the sideline on what looked like a regular sweep to the outside. Seconds later, Perine flipped the ball to newcomer DeDe Westbrook on a receiver reverse that ended with a 22-yard gain for the Sooners' junior college transfer.
This is what vanilla looks like?
Yes, as a matter of fact, it is what vanilla looks like in Lincoln Riley's offense.
"If you think it's a competitive advantage you have to hold it back and we did that," the Sooners new offensive coordinator explained.
The spring game provided the first glimpse of the offense brought to Norman, Oklahoma, by Riley, although OU kept things simple in the scrimmage with up-and-down results during a performance that included three touchdowns and six turnovers.
It wasn't the high-scoring performance that some expected during the offense's public debut, but one of the core foundations of Riley's plan was on display. The offense may have been lacking in touchdowns but it was not lacking in confidence.
"He brings that mentality of confidence," quarterback Trevor Knight said of his early impressions of Riley. "He's pushing confidence, ‘Let's go score on this play, (or) after we make this catch, let's run this play.' It's a constant confidence deal with him."
The same confidence that led to some interceptions on Saturday could lead to points in the fall. Make no mistake, the inability to take care of the ball will land the winner of OU's quarterback competition on the sideline with Riley saying the winner of the competition will "score points and take care of the ball, it's that simple." But the confidence it takes to run Riley's attack is slowly showing itself this spring.
"At the beginning when we did something good, everyone was kind of excited and giddy," Riley said. "As of late, when we do something good, it's a little more to be expected. Sometimes making a good play or having a good game can be your worst enemy because guys think they have it figured out. Where as, if it's the expectation, if you have great confidence, you can be consistent and consistently great. I was brought up on this offense and this offense is a lot about confidence. I think hopefully our guys are starting to feel that."
Taking the field wanting to score points and taking the field expecting to score points are two different things.
"That aggressive mentality is what we have to continue to push," Riley said. "That aggressive mentality that doesn't care what the situation is, who we are playing, up, down, any of that. We have to shape these guys' minds the way we want them, that's the biggest challenge."
OU averaged 2.44 points per drive and 5.24 yards per play a year ago, ranking fourth in the Big 12 in both categories -- far from horrible numbers -- but Riley has come to expect better from his offense. The former East Carolina offensive coordinator led a Pirates attack that averaged 2.57 points per drive and 6.48 yards per play in 2014.
As spring football ends this week, the offense may not be where Riley would like it to ultimately end up. But if OU's offense can make a jump in Riley's first year with the Sooners -- the way as it did during his first season at ECU -- Sooners coach Bob Stoops will be happy about his new hire. ECU averaged 2.65 points per drive in 2010, more than half of a point better than the year before Riley's arrival (1.95 points per drive) and 5.74 yards per play, nearly half of yard more than 2009 (5.27 yards per play).
The confidence is starting to emerge, even if production isn't there yet, so Riley will be patient. Yet he also understands the clock is ticking.
"There's a balance," he said. "You have to be patient at times but the way college football is these days you don't have much time for patience. You have to learn it and be good, right away. This is not a rebuilding process, it's getting ready to be the best team we can next year. Nobody is going to care it's our first year in the system."