Show of hands: Who leaned forward in their seats when they saw this?

Thought so.

Dana Holgorsen needed to go outside his program and bring in Charles Sims last season to get a pas-catching running back who could redesign (maybe re-introduce) his offense, and by extension change the way defenses scheme the things he does. In 2011, Dustin Garrison (24), Andrew Buie (13), Vernard Roberts (!) (4) and Shawne Alston (2) combined for 43 catches. In 2012, Buie caught 29 passes, Garrison caught nine and Alston didn’t catch any … and those were WVU’s running backs before Tavon Austin V. 2.Oklahoma happened.

But you remember that game.

You remember how an electric presence in the backfield toyed with the designs and desires of a very good defense. You remember how Stedman Bailey dominated the Sooners secondary, which couldn’t afford to give him a ton of attention. Well, Sims came along last season and was different than Austin, but in a way the same. He commanded attention and was the team’s first 1,000 yard rusher in four seasons while tying for the team lead with 45 receptions — more than all the backs combined for in 2011 and 2012. Wendell Smallwood added 11 receptions and Dreamius Smith had two as WVU became invested and interested in incorporating running backs into the passing game.

That wasn’t New Dana. That was New-at-WVU Dana. Kendall Hunter and Joseph Randle combined for 57 catches at Oklahoma State in 2010. Sims had 70 at Houston in 2009 and Bryce Beall added 32. Beall and Andre Kohn combined for 59 in 2008. And in every season, there was a big-time wide receiver, and sometimes two. You can’t cover everyone. You can try, but you can’t do it. That’s one reason Bailey caught 13 passes for 205 yards and four touchdowns against Oklahoma.

For two seasons, Holgorsen had elite receivers without the benefit of running backs who could liberate them in the secondary, which is sort of mind boggling. True, Tavon and Stedman caught a ton of passes and there weren’t many opportunities for the others, but those others weren’t going to take those and the defenses knew that.

Last season was, well, you saw it. This season? It’s fun to consider because the pieces are there and the plan is back in place.

With Sims re-establishing that part of the offense, Smallwood was deemed the heir to Sims’ role in the offense. Kevin White and Mario Alford were said to have made offseason leaps, and the three did nothing Saturday to take away from those prophesies. But this Shell play is something else. It’s a little scary, right? He was a barreling pile-mover up to that point in the game, and even though he’d shifted out a few times to run routes in five-receiver sets, you didn’t think of him as a pass-catcher.

However, one of the little secrets from the spring and summer was what WVU came to learn about Shell. It’s since gained traction and been boasted about, but WVU wasn’t aware at first that he had hands as good as his are or that he could do so many threatening things when the ball was in his hand. He’s not a power back. He’s a running back, and perhaps a late model WVU running back.

“The surprising thing is he can get out in the flat, catch a ball, make a guy miss, run a guy over and make an explosive play,” WVU coach Dana Holgorsen said. “I think we’re all excited about that.”

Shell finished with 10 carries for 38 yards — his first three carries produced 20 yards — and two receptions for 19 yards. When he was effective early, he was able to run through tackles and move the pile of teammates and defenders. When he was used in the passing game, he was someone Alabama had to regard.

“That Shell, that guy is a good runner, and you’re going to know it before the end of this year is over,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Shell believes it’ll come quickly now that he’s been through a game and has shown what he can do with the offense. At 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, he’s a worthy complement to the 5-11, 200-pound Smallwood and can play with power behind his pads and then use his speed to be a factor elsewhere.

“Regardless if we’re one-back or two-back, those guys might be in protection, but they may be in route-running as well,” Holgorsen said. “That’s why Wendell’s role is so big. He can get involved in the passing game with whatever we want him to do. Rushel is not there yet, but that’s why he’s playing as much as he is, because he is able to run with authority, as we know he can, and he’s able to pass protect because he’s physical.”