Clint Ratkovich saw firsthand how fragile football can be last season as virtually all his running back teammates were felled by injuries and mishaps at one point or another.

“It’s football, it’s part of the game,” Ratkovich told Prairie State Pigskin in February. “It’s terrible that it happened to some of the guys, that they had to fight through those injuries.”

But all that pales in comparison to what the world is facing with COVID-19. And while our interview with the WIU senior came prior to what the virus has spawned, there’s no doubt Ratkovich is concerned with far more than football.

The Crete-Monee High School graduate proved to be the solid constant in the Western Illinois running back room. Playing in all 12 games, Ratkovich wound up leading the Leathernecks in both rushing yards and receptions.

Clint Ratkovich

Following a disappointing season that produced just one win last fall, Ratkovich was preparing for his final spring practices — something that never happened in a traditional sense.

“Looking back on it, time really flies,” he said. “I remember coming in here as a freshman. It felt like yesterday. Now I have one last go-around, one spring left, one fall camp and one more season.”

A first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection at fullback last fall, Ratkovich continues to be one of the key leaders for head coach Jared Elliott’s Leathernecks. After all, Ratkovich was first voted as a team captain his sophomore year.

“That doesn’t happen very often in Division I football,” Elliott said. “It speaks volumes of who he is as a young man, as a player and as a teammate. He was never given that platform, he earned it.”

With his players back in their hometowns waiting out the coronavirus, Elliott has held off naming this coming season’s captains with one exception.

“He’s going to be a three-time team captain,” the third-year head coach said. “He’s earned the respect of every single person that touches our program. He does all the little things. He does everything right. He’s a tremendous leader. He’s very passionate about Leatherneck football. We’re very blessed to have him here.”

Ratkovich sees leadership as a two-way street.

“We (the veteran players) need to step up and keep pushing the younger guys, but they have to do the same to us — hold us accountable too,” he said. “That makes us all better in the end.”

‘A true Swiss Army knife’

“We actually started him here as a safety his redshirt year,” Elliott said. “We quickly figured out that wasn’t the ideal position for him. We made the decision after that first fall to flip him over to offense.

“Very rarely have I seen a young man almost create his own position within an offense. Clint did that here. He did that for us. He’s really almost changed the landscape of how we recruit in terms of that position. Clint’s that true Swiss Army knife. He does everything. He plays running back, wildcat quarterback, fullback, receiver, tight end. We do so many different jobs with him.”

Crete-Monee graduate Clint Ratkovich has excelled both on and off the field for Western Illinois. (photo by Barry Bottino, Prairie State Pigskin)

Elliott praised not only Ratkovich’s skill set, but added, “He’s just so smart. He can handle everything that we give to him.

“There’s so much that this kid does that the average fan might not see. He might not be getting that carry on a particular play or catching the ball on that route, but this kid does so much that makes us go. He’s so selfless. Anything you ask him to do, he’s going to do it. He takes so much pride in doing it right. I wish I could clone 1,000 of Clint Ratkovich.”

Much like baseball’s preseason training, hope springs eternal in college football camps. A 1-11 season wasn’t all doom and gloom in Macomb.

“If you were in the locker room, say week 11 (last fall) and seeing the energy we had, you’d feel we’d be an undefeated team,” Ratkovich said. “No one was getting down. Everyone was still coming to work every day. That’s really encouraging coming into this season. We’ve just got to find a way to get it done.”

Forward focus

With the onset of the coronavirus, WIU did not hold spring practice. Classes were moved to online learning.

Yet, Ratkovich remains focused on the tasks at hand. He prepares much the same as he has since he first started playing as a young boy.

“While we’re tearing apart the playbook, nothing drastic is going on,” he said. “It’s back to basics. Time to get back to it, nothing too crazy is in place.”

Ratkovich had planned to spend his summer in Macomb, completing an internship required for his degree and preparing for his final season. Certainly those plans have been altered.

One thing he won’t do is worry about injuries spoiling his senior year the way it did for teammates the likes of Max Norris and Deontez Thompson a year ago.

“Personally, I don’t think about things like that,” he said. “I play the way I normally do. Whatever happens, happens. I’m going to give it my all.”

Like everyone associated with college football, Elliott looks forward to the day when the game returns — especially with Ratkovich in mind.

“I know he’s going to have a special senior year because he’s worked really hard for it,” Elliott said.

Coaching changes

Elliott recently announced that his staff hiring is complete and in place for the 2020 season.

“Defensive coordinator Cam Clark joins us for Lamar, he was there the last three years. He’s been at several different places: Auburn, Arkansas State, Faulkner in Alabama. I’m very excited about him,” Elliott said.

Jacques Washington has been brought on as WIU secondary coach.

“He was at UCLA, played at Iowa State, coached there for a little bit, was at a D2 school in Oklahoma. Our players have really responded to his voice and leadership,” Elliott said.

Doug Patterson is the Leathernecks’ offensive line coach.

“Doug comes to us from St. Cloud State,” Elliott said. “He’s a 30-year veteran in terms of O-line play, a great teacher and technician. He’ll bring a lot of credibility and that veteran voice.”

Rounding out the hew hires is running backs coach Zach Grant.

“Zach comes to us from Illinois where he was a graduate assistant with Lovie Smith,” Elliott said.

Grant is a native of Springfield and played three seasons for the Illini. Grant helped Rochester High School to IHSA Class 4A State Championships in 2010 and 2011 along with former Illini quarterback Wes Lunt.

Finally, Elliott announced that Patrick Shepard has been elevated to assistant head coach. Additionally, Shepard will continue to serve as Western’s special teams coordinator while also overseeing the Leathernecks’ tight ends. Shepard joined the staff two seasons ago and served as running backs coach.

“It’s good to have everyone here given the circumstances we’re in now,” Elliott said. “We still do daily staff meetings, they just look a little bit different in terms of being remote.”