Oklahoma led Akron 17-3 early in the third quarter of the 2015 season opener. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, making his Sooners' debut, was flanked by running backs Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine at their own 24-yard line.
At the snap, Perine scampered to his right, in front of the pair and Mayfield faked the handoff to Mixon. He took a seven-step drop to the far hash. The Zips were now long past screwed. They may as well lightly jog off the field and avoid injury on the play. Mayfield effortlessly flipped a pass to Mixon, who was streaking down the sideline without a defender in sight. Seventy-six-yard touchdown.
Seven defenders bit on the run, including the middle linebacker (No. 3), who hesitated, danced and began dropping deep when Mayfield rolled to the right. The linebacker was immediately toast when he took the first step to the left.
MORE: Ranking the 10 Best Patriotic College Football Helmets
While he bit hard on the play-action, he still didn't pick up Mixon out of the backfield, instead floating into a zone where three defenders were already headed to cover two guys.
The defense won't always be this terrible, but the two-back threat (Mixon and Perine) combined with Mayfield's hard, albeit nonchalant, play-action sell and his running ability really gave the defense no chance. Even if the middle linebacker dropped to the correct zone, Mixon is still wide open. If the linebacker drops and trails Mixon, Mayfield just has one guy (No. 54) to beat with a pump fake in order to run for a first down.
It was a preview of what Sooner opponents could expect over the next three years.
Mayfield doesn't post gaudy rushing numbers — 772 yards in three seasons — but the threat is real, which has terrorized defenses that last two seasons. In 2016, more than half of his 3,965 passing yards came on play-action passes (2,044), according to Pro Football Focus.
He has thrived in two seasons under quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, And with Riley's promotion to head coach following the retirement of Bob Stoops, Mayfield should continue confounding defenses as college football's play-action wizard.
