After Longhorn head coach Steve Sarkisian signaled open season on the former Texas receiver, Oklahoma's newcomer traded fiery rhetoric for disciplined focus as the Red River Rivalry reaches a fever pitch
Steve Sarkisian didn’t exactly sugarcoat his feelings about former Texas receiver Parker Livingstone at SEC Media Days.
When the subject came up, the Texas head coach made it clear where things stand now that Livingstone is in Norman.
“I mean I hope we kick his (another word for butt)," Sarkisian said of Livingstone. "It’s the Red River Rivalry. He chose to go there. He’s on the other side. That’s the way the game goes.”
That’s about as straightforward as it gets. No fake well-wishes, no coach-speak about wishing him the best. Sarkisian framed it exactly as it is — Livingstone left, he’s on the other side of the rivalry now, and Texas plans to treat him like every other Sooner when the teams meet.
Livingstone’s responded at Sooners' fall camp with the opposite energy. Speaking to reporters, he kept it measured and refused to take the bait.
"I'm just kind of focused on this team and fall camp," Livingstone told the media. "We've got like four games until we play them. So, kind of taking it one day at a time. That game is going to come when it comes. It's going to be a fun game. But right now, I'm focused on fall camp and UTEP."
No clap-back, no emotional reaction, no extra fuel added to the fire. Just a player pointing out that there’s a lot of football to play before Red River and that his attention is on the day-to-day work in Norman.
This is a different tone from Livingstone compared to his comments at Oklahoma Spring Football Media Day when he said, “When I was at Texas, I wanted to go (to the Cotton Bowl) and beat the crap outta OU. Now that I’m at OU, I want to go there and beat the crap outta Texas.”
Livingstone had a solid freshman year in Austin and had built a connection with Arch Manning, who was also his roommate. When the Longhorns added Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, the reported NIL picture shifted. Livingstone was looking at a significant pay cut if he stayed. He chose to enter the portal and landed in Norman instead.
From the Texas side, that registered as a defection. From Livingstone’s side, it registered as a business and opportunity decision. Both things can be true at the same time.
Texas fans predictably put him in the “traitor” category the moment the commitment to Oklahoma became official. That’s how these rivalries work. Cross the Red River and the temperature rises. Sarkisian’s comment simply reflected the temperature rather than trying to lower it.
For Oklahoma, Livingstone is part of a wide receiver room that already has a clear top option in Isaiah Sategna III. The real competition is for the No. 2 spot, where he’s going against All-ACC Virginia transfer Trell Harris. That battle will be decided by consistency, route detail, and earning trust with John Mateer over the next several weeks.
Livingstone has the size and speed to stretch the field. Whether he carves out a steady role will depend on how he handles the daily competition rather than anything said at Media Days.
There’s a practical side to Livingstone’s approach. Camp is still early. UTEP is the first game. Michigan, and the rest of the early schedule, come before anyone starts putting on special emotional weight for Texas. Players who get caught looking ahead usually hear about it from their coaches. Livingstone’s answer suggested he’s not interested in that distraction.
Sarkisian doesn’t need Livingstone to respond in kind. The quote already did its job for the Texas audience. It drew a clear line and reinforced the rivalry. Livingstone’s decision to stay quiet and point back to camp and the next game does its job too. It keeps the focus on what he can control in Norman and avoids turning the next several weeks into a running subplot.
Red River will still be Red River when it arrives. The history, the crowd, and the stakes take care of themselves. Livingstone will be on the opposite sideline from the program he started with, and Texas will treat him like every other player in crimson. That’s the reality he signed up for when he made the move.
In a rivalry that already generates plenty of heat on its own, taking the high road might be the smartest way to handle it.
For now, he’s choosing not to add any extra noise. Focused on fall camp. Focused on UTEP. The Texas game will come when it comes.
