The Sooners won’t have to ease into the John Mateer era after all. Just hours before Oklahoma’s season opener against UTEP, Parker Livingstone was cleared and will be available for his OU debut, giving the quarterback another key target right away.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Livingstone has come out of concussion protocol after missing practice time last week. For a stretch, it looked like Oklahoma fans might have to wait until another game to see the full version of the passing attack. Instead, Livingstone should be on the field Friday night.
Livingstone arrived in Norman this offseason after transferring from Texas, where he spent two years and was roommates with quarterback Arch Manning. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said at SEC Media Days this summer that the Longhorns pushed Livingstone and several other players out of Austin to make room for more transfer additions.
Oklahoma is the beneficiary. At 6-foot-3, Livingstone brings size and speed to a receiver room that was built up around Mateer over the offseason.
He also comes with production. Last season, as a redshirt freshman, he played in all 13 games, made five starts, and finished with 29 catches for 516 yards and six touchdowns.
His 17.8 yards per catch led the team.
That kind of vertical threat fits what the Sooners are trying to become. Oklahoma had trouble creating explosive plays last season, especially through the air, as Mateer averaged 11.68 yards per completion. A healthier Mateer and a cleaner throwing motion should help, but the bigger boost comes from the personnel around him.
Livingstone joins Virginia transfer Trell Harris and returning top receiver Isaiah Sategna III as the main pieces of the passing game. Sategna and Harris were listed as starters on Monday’s initial depth chart, while Livingstone was grouped with Elijah Thomas at the X spot. If he’s fully healthy, Livingstone figures to get the edge Friday night.
Thomas should still see plenty of snaps after managing just one five-yard catch as a freshman last season. Even so, Livingstone, Sategna, and Harris all bring more experience to the table, and Thomas is still learning the position in real game action.
That matters immediately, because Oklahoma gets a chance to build chemistry before next week’s trip to face No. 16 Michigan. With Livingstone available, Mateer gets a real opening-night look at the full collection of weapons around him, and the Sooners should have a chance to hit chunk plays without having to force the issue.
OU fans may not get the whole picture in one night, but they’ll get enough to see what this passing game can look like.
In Other News...
Oklahoma-Michigan Comes With An Officiating Twist Fans Will Notice
The upcoming Oklahoma-Michigan matchup at Michigans stadium already has the feel of a major September test, and the way the game is being administered adds another layer for fans to keep an eye on. The contract calls for the officiating crew to be appointed by the home teams conference, a setup that traces back to changes made after a 2006 Oklahoma game, when concerns around officiating helped shape how future big nonconference meetings would be handled.
Michigans own recent weekend only sharpened the spotlight on the rules side of things, after its game against Western Michigan ended in controversy when a last-second Hail Mary stood following replay review. The Big Ten later issued statements and replay footage, and with Oklahoma heading into a game that will be shown on Fox, the Sooners and Wolverines are meeting in a spotlight matchup where every flag, review and explanation figures to draw plenty of attention. [Read more 🡒]
Oklahoma May Have Found Something Real In Its Backfield
Oklahoma got a useful early look at its backfield in the season-opening rout of UTEP, and Lloyd Avant made the strongest case for a bigger role. The Colorado State transfer led the Sooners with 79 rushing yards and a touchdown, and he did a lot of the heavy lifting after first contact, piling up 56 of those yards the hard way. For a team trying to settle into a new offensive rhythm, that kind of production offered a promising sign.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle singled out Avants consistency and toughness, the sort of traits that tend to travel well once the schedule stiffens. The Sooners still know there is plenty to clean up before Michigan arrives, but Avants debut gave them something concrete to build on in the backfield. Whether that opening night burst turns into a lasting role will be one of the quieter but more important questions to follow. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Gave Oklahoma Fans A Reason To Feel Better
Oklahomas opener could hardly have gone much better, with the Sooners rolling past UTEP 51-0 while Brent Venables still made clear there was plenty to clean up before the next step up in competition. The timing matters because Michigan was supposed to arrive as the early measuring stick, and the Wolverines did not exactly look like a team bringing crisp answers on offense.
Michigan had to sweat its way past Western Michigan, and for Oklahoma fans that kind of ugly finish offers at least a little comfort heading into a marquee matchup. Even in a win, the Wolverines left behind enough questions about how consistently they can move the ball that the Sooners have reason to believe their own strong start may travel well into next week. [Read more 🡒]