It’s no coincidence that the Sooners’ prodigious offensive production has paralleled the arrival of Lincoln Riley in Norman, Oklahoma. Riley had a history of coaching well-oiled, points-producing offenses before he joined Bob Stoops’ coaching staff as a 31-year-old offensive coordinator prior to the 2015 season.
Great offensive teams are generally thought of as a by-product of an All-American quarterback or the combination of great quarterback play and a complementary cadre of outstanding talent at the other skill positions. Those factors are certainly must-haves to field an elite offense, but there is one more critical, often overlooked and under appreciated element that can separate a good offense from a great one and is the defining difference in the truly great offensive units.