Parker Livingstone spent 2025 as a steady outlet in Texas’ offense, but he’s already making clear he sees himself differently now that he’s at Oklahoma.
The 6-foot-3, 202-pound receiver turned into one of the Longhorns’ most reliable targets last season. He accounted for Texas’ only touchdown in a 14-7 Week 1 loss to Ohio State, caught multiple passes in each of the first six games and topped 100 receiving yards against San Jose State and Arkansas. By the end of the year, his second in college football, he had piled up 516 yards and six touchdowns.
Still, Texas moved on. The Longhorns kept Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V, then added Cam Coleman, the former Auburn star, through the transfer portal. That left Livingstone - along with DeAndre Moore - without a place as a featured piece.
Now he’s in Norman, and Livingstone says the version of him wearing Oklahoma colors is sharper than the one Texas saw.
“I’m a different player than I was last year,” Livingstone said. “I’ve gotten better.”
Part of that adjustment has come from the people around him. Livingstone pointed to OU wide receivers coach Emmett Jones as a major reason the transition has come together so quickly.
“He's gonna yell at you, he's gonna be tough on you, but it's all coming from love,” Livingstone said. “When we get into the room, he's coaching us hard.
But sometimes he lightens up, talks about life. He's a great coach, and I'm excited to play for him.”
He also said the work of learning Ben Arbuckle’s offense has helped him take another step. Livingstone and the Sooners’ offensive players spent the summer digging into the scheme with Arbuckle, and by the time fall camp rolled around, he felt settled in.
“I just think repping it, going out there and doing it… we worked a lot on the plays,” Livingstone said. “Arbuckle was here probably the entire summer, coaching us, following me and the receivers around, helping with the formations, motions, plays.”
That comfort matters for any receiver, and Livingstone said he’s built that with all four of Oklahoma’s quarterbacks - John Mateer, Whitt Newbauer, Bowe Bentley and Jett Niu.
“They can sling it, they can run, they can make plays out of the pocket,” Livingstone said. “Proud of how they've battled through adversity.”
Seven months into his time at Oklahoma, Livingstone says it already feels like more than that because of the relationships he’s formed. And with more confidence than he had entering 2025, he believes that’s the key to letting his game show up naturally.
“When you're not thinking out there, you can play fast and be yourself, and the game comes to you easier,” Livingstone said. “If you're thinking too much, it's slow, and you can't produce. That's the biggest thing for me.”
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