Oklahoma's Skip Johnson and Reggie Willits receive contract extensions

According to Oklahoma City News 9 Sports Director Toby Rowland, Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson and associate head coach Reggie Willits received contract extensions.

The move comes after the Oklahoma Sooners won the 2026 national championship. Johnson's contract extension is six years long, lasting through 2032. According to Sooner Illustrated's Josh Callaway, Johnson's new salary is in the top-third of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Rowland did not detail the length of Willits' contract extension. However, Rowland did say on X that it was a long-term deal and that the associate head coach did receive a raise in his salary.

Johnson and his time with the Sooners

Oklahoma's national championship run in 2026 was Johnson's ninth season as the head coach of the Sooners. He has won 310 total games with Oklahoma.

Before Oklahoma joined the SEC, Johnson was winning some hardware for the Sooners in the Big 12. He led the team to the 2022 Big 12 Tournament title at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. That hot start to the postseason would continue as Oklahoma made it to the College World Series for the first time under Johnson. In Omaha, they went on to lose to the Ole Miss Rebels in the 2022 national championship.

Johnson also coached the Sooners to a strong 2024 season finish. That year, Oklahoma won the Big 12 regular season title by finishing with a 40-21 overall record and a 23-7 record in conference play. Johnson was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year that season.

After winning the national championship with Oklahoma in 2026, Johnson was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) National Coach of the Year.

Willits' baseball career as a player and coach, plus his sons carrying on the legacy

The 2026 season was Willits' fifth season with Oklahoma. During Oklahoma's 2022 run to the College World Series, the 45-year-old was a volunteer assistant. He was promoted to the role of associate head coach after the 2022 season.

Willits is in charge of Oklahoma's offense, and he also coaches the team's outfielders.

Before arriving in Norman, Willits was coaching for the New York Yankees from 2015 to 2021. He started as an outfield and base-running coordinator for the organization. In 2018, he was New York's first base coach under manager Aaron Boone.

Willits also had a playing career in Major League Baseball. He was an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels from 2006 to 2011. In his career with the Angels, Willits finished with a .258 batting average. He also had 35 doubles, 58 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases.

Willits has a couple of sons who have made headlines in baseball as of late. Eli Willits was the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. He is currently playing for the Nationals' Double-A affiliate, the Harrisburg Senators. According to MLB Pipeline, Eli is the sixth-best prospect in Minor League Baseball.

Willits' other son, Jaxon, was a major part of Oklahoma's 2026 national championship team. He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 College World Series.

Jaxon finished his three-year career with the Sooners with a .307 batting average and a .403 on-base percentage. He also had 38 doubles, 25 home runs, and 136 RBIs in his career with Oklahoma.

Jaxon was selected in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels, which is the same team his father played for over 15 years ago.

Oklahoma in the 2027 Shriners Children's College Showdown

The Oklahoma Sooners have the mission of defending their 2026 national championship in 2027. To start next season, they will face off against the Arizona Wildcats on February 19.

That game is a part of the Shriners Children's College Showdown at Globe Life Field. The Sooners will also play the Clemson Tigers and the TCU Horned Frogs during the event.

The first pitch of the game between Oklahoma and Arizona on February 19 is at noon ET.

For more NCAA news: https://worldbaseball.com/news/category/ncaa