Clint Ratkovich
Fullback / Western Illinois

Alex Khvatov:  What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?

Clint Ratkovich:  I am 6’1 and 225.    

Alex Khvatov:  How are you currently preparing for the 2020 season with no offseason training?

Clint Ratkovich:  The training has been different this year, but our strength coaches have given us a good plan.  One of our friends from the team, he has a home gym.  He has been letting us use it. 

Alex Khvatov:  Besides football, what other sports did you play in high school?

Clint Ratkovich:  I ran track for a little bit.  I played everything growing up.  In high school, I focused mainly on football.  I was in indoor sprinter in the 200m.    

Alex Khvatov:  What positions did you play in high school? 

Clint Ratkovich:  As a freshman, I played LB and RB.  During my sophomore year, I was a slot receiver on varsity.  As a junior, I played LB.  I played QB and LB during my senior year.  We were a read option type of team.    

Alex Khvatov:  Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?

Clint Ratkovich:  I was getting recruited by MVFC.  I had Southern Illinois, NDSU, and Illinois State.  Charlie Fisher became the new coach at Western Illinois two weeks before signing day.  He offered me.      

Alex Khvatov:  How did you wind up at Western Illinois? 

Clint Ratkovich:  Mostly the players.  I was able to meet a bunch of guys from the team.  It felt like home.  It felt like a family atmosphere that I wanted to be a part of.    

Alex Khvatov:  Tell us about your overall career.        

Clint Ratkovich:  I was voted team captain the past two years.  I made the all-freshman team in the Missouri Valley conference as a redshirt freshman.  During my sophomore year, I made Hero Sports All-American team.  I was first team all-conference my sophomore and junior year.   

Alex Khvatov:  You are a jack of all trades on the football field.  Tell us about your position. 

Clint Ratkovich:  Coaches call it a super back position.  I am like a Taysom Hill.  I create some mismatches with the defense.  It is an H-back or a FB position. 

Alex Khvatov:  What can we expect from Western Illinois this upcoming season? 

Clint Ratkovich:  We should have a great year.  We have guys sending videos how hard they are working out on their own.  We should have a close team this year.   

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths?

Clint Ratkovich:  I am very physical.  I like to put my head on somebody.  I am a student of the game.  I can run any position on our offense.  I have good hands.  Catching the ball comes naturally to me.   

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?

Clint Ratkovich:  Working on route running a lot.  Trying to expand the routes this year and not just stay limited to a select few.    

Alex Khvatov:  What is the highlight of your career up to this point?

Clint Ratkovich:  Last season when we played South Dakota.  We were down by five or six points with 30 seconds left.  I was playing RB.  We ran a counter, and I took it twenty yards for the TD.    

Alex Khvatov:  What is the biggest lesson that you have taken away from your coaching staff? 

Clint Ratkovich:  Coaches always told me to never mess up the same thing twice.  It makes them mad. 

Alex Khvatov:  Who is your favorite NFL player?

Clint Ratkovich:  I am a big fan of Christian McCaffrey.  He is insane.  He dominated at the college level and is dominating at the NFL level.     

Alex Khvatov:  What players on your team should we keep an eye on for this upcoming season?

Clint Ratkovich:  QB Connor Sampson should have a great year.  He is in his second year in the offense.  He has the right type of mindset.    

Alex Khvatov:  Who is the best player that you have faced on an opposing team?

Clint Ratkovich:  Robbie Grimsley was a savvy safety from NDSU.  He was very physical.    

Alex Khvatov:  What is the most important trait for a FB?

Clint Ratkovich:  Reliability.  You are a very important part of the offense.  You are depended on to make blocks and catch the ball.

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about football?

Clint Ratkovich:  The camaraderie and bond like no other.  I have an older brother.  The guys on the football team also have become my brothers. 

Alex Khvatov:  What are your hobbies?

Clint Ratkovich:  I play a little Xbox.  I do community service like food drives at the school.  I went to grade schools and played football with the kids.  I participated in the Night to Shine.  It is a night where you become the host for unfortunate kids with disabilities.  You meet them and dress up.  It is kind of like prom night.   

Alex Khvatov:  What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?

Clint Ratkovich:  My major is in engineering technology.  I was supposed to have an internship this summer, but it got canceled.  I am looking into becoming a manufacturing engineer or do quality control. 

Alex Khvatov:  How much pride do you take in academics? 

Clint Ratkovich:  School is kind of easy for me.  I put in a lot of hard work in the classroom.  I have gotten good grades in high school and college.   

Alex Khvatov:  What five words best describe you?

Clint Ratkovich:  Reliable, loving, respectful, humble, and leader.