Oklahoma's Base Running Gives Sooners an Edge in Omaha

New additions to the coaching staff plus an athletic group have been key pieces to the puzzle for coach Skip Johnson.

NORMAN — Reggie Willits joined the Sooners' coaching staff as a volunteer assistant back on Oct. 18, and nobody could’ve predicted the impact he would go on to have in his first season.

Willits’ professionalism and preparation, along with the rest of the coaching staff, has been a key catalyst behind Oklahoma’s underdog run to Omaha.

“There’s no doubt,” said head coach Skip Johnson. “He’s really added his twist to it. We got more athletic, we wanted to get more athletic when we took this job. ... Bringing Reggie in, the things he knows, his expertise, it added even more fuel to the fire so to speak.”

At the end of last season, Johnson knew his team needed more athleticism. Bringing on Willits while transitioning to a more athletic group was a perfect storm for the Sooners, who have used it to their advantage this season.

“He’s really detail oriented, he’s got a demanding presence,” Johnson said. “... He’s really, really good with kids. And ... our program is built around love and relationship, it’s about showing them how much you care and then how much you know.”

The Sooners rank fourth in the country at 142 bases stolen this season. That’s good for No. 10 in the NCAA at 2.2 steals per game. Peyton Graham checks in tied for No. 13 individually, finding 32 extra bases in 62 games.

Oklahoma has used this unique skill down the stretch to give this team an edge heading into Omaha. Among the College World Series field, the Sooners are far and away the team that steals the most bases. Extra bases correlating to extra runs could set up Oklahoma for a wild few weeks.

The Sooners lead the pack with 142 stolen bases on the season heading into the World Series. Closest to Oklahoma is Texas A&M, sitting in second place at 79 stolen bases. Willits’ base-running machine has lapped five out the seven other teams.

OU’s ability to get runners on base in all ways, and aggressively put them in scoring position, has been a key catalyst behind the high scoring attack. Since postseason play started in Gainesville, FL, the Sooners are averaging eight runs per game in seven road matchups.

“It’s one of those deals where it’s the team that gets comfortable there the fastest,” Johnson said. “If we get comfortable there the fastest, then we’ll play at our ability.”

While it’s a new week and a new challenge, Oklahoma has all the momentum in the world heading into Omaha. If the Sooners can come out on top, it’ll be because of the aggressive, free-playing mindset they’ve displayed all season long.