“If Ryan keeps doing the things he’s been doing lately, he has a chance to be a special player here,” OU coach Bob Stoops said. “He’s competitive and he has a knack for making plays like that.”

The rest was gravy, though it did include his last catch, still in the third quarter, when he nabbed a Bradford fling over the middle in traffic and made about three guys miss in the space of a few yards to pick up 23. That was the play he looked exactly like Clayton.

To say OU doesn’t win without him is saying too much, though the Norman High product sure made it easier. To say days like this, no matter who provides them, is about the best sports has to offer because first impressions can be made only once and, for all the waiting, Broyles exceeded all the superlatives coaches and Sooners had laid on him (for his on-field activity) since he arrived on campus.

“I’ve been telling people for a long time, just wait until he has a chance to show everybody how good he is,” said receiving mate Manny Johnson. “Today, he had that opportunity.”

Afterward, there were questions. Questions about Broyles’ personal growth. Questions about coming back from the embarrassment of last season’s eve. Questions about what it was like then and how it feels now.

At one point, Broyles said “I don’t even like talking about it,” but not like he was tired of the question; more like he just can’t believe he did something so stupid; something that cost him a year of football and had to put his Sooner ties in jeopardy until he was back on the straight and narrow long enough to be trusted again.

Let’s hope it’s exactly that. That he doesn’t even know that guy anymore.

Because he was so good Saturday.

And a Norman kid, too.

Often, it’s about the stories and this is a good one.

Let’s hope it turns out as well as it’s (re)started.