When the lights brightened, the shadows of surprise evaporated.
Flashbulbs popped like fireflies. Images were captured.
An identity began to form.
With the nation watching, No. 5 UF toyed with Miami as it showed the first substantial piece of the 2008 season.
Consider this the primetime season premiere, similar to a television show.
It even used those annoying flashbacks to show background and personality traits.
The Gators showed glimpses of the 2006 National Champion squad with their "bend-but-don't-break" defense. Third down stops came when needed, and no big plays were allowed.
Reigning Heisman winner Tim Tebow remembers the last time there was a defense to fall back on in Gainesville - his freshman year.
"Knowing that it's ok, we don't have to force anything," Tebow said. "We can punt and we'll be ok."
Then viewers were jolted back to last fall.
The patented Tebow offense reared its head to full effect, condensing the offense to only a few options.
Tebow runs. Tebow drops back to pass and scrambles. Tebow, under pressure, has nowhere to scramble and either forces a pass or throws a bad one.
But there is one more - Tebow makes a Heisman-like play.
Those scrambles that break a defense's back or heaves off his back foot that end up in a falling tight end's hands, good for 7 points.
Then the scenery changed one more time, late in the third quarter, shifting to a 2006-like 12-play, 86-yard touchdown drive.
Then the journey through UF's past concluded, and viewers were treated to a trailer for 2008.
After the Gators scored their second touchdown, the Hurricanes recorded a combined 14 yards on their last three do-or-die drives.
Carlos Dunlap and Jermaine Cunningham recorded back-to-back sacks on Miami's final possession, leaving the 'Canes no choice but to punt because it was 4th-and-22 from their own 8-yard-line.
"Last year, we kind of tried to depend on the offense to do things," leader of the defense Brandon Spikes said. "This year we're taking as a challenge to do our jobs."
Then the offensive powerhouse stirred out of its slumber.
Five plays, 95 yards. Touchdown. It took all of 1:34. Hope you were paying attention.
It should've been followed by a 4-play, 67-yard drive had Louis Muprhy's would-be second touchdown reception not been called back by an illegal formation penalty.
Of course, no UF trailer would be complete without penalties playing a part.
In 2006, UF ranked 109th out of 119 Division I-A teams in penalty yards accumulated. The ranking got slightly better last year - 94th.
After the Hawaii game, the Gators ranked 99th. That should get a little better this week after only receiving 35 yards, even if one of the five flags cost them a touchdown.
UF released a teaser trailer of its 2008 season to the record crowd of 90,833 Saturday night. Seems the preview was well-received.
Sometimes great trailers pan out to be blockbuster shows, ones that have viewers coming back each and every week.
Other times the best parts are shown in the trailer, and it's too frustrating to watch the rest.
All the answers will not be revealed until this winter's season finale.
But clues are always left along the way.
