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| Jordan Ratliffe and the Warhawks pounded the rock en route to another playoff win. Photo by Daryl Tessmann, d3photography.com |
By Josh Smith
D3sports.com
WHITEWATER, Wis. -- It’s been a year of transition at UW-Whitewater, beginning with the football program’s well-documented coaching change.
And while first-year head coach Kevin Bullis and his newly assembled staff secured their first playoff win with a 48-0 victory over visiting St. Norbert, the Warhawks’ ability to run the football looked as familiar as ever.
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Jordan Ratliffe has taken up the program’s “pound the rock” philosophy, accumulating 1,259 yards this season – including 159 yards Saturday, helping the fifth-ranked Warhawks win their 31st consecutive NCAA Division III playoff game at Perkins Stadium.
The senior’s 1,000-yard season marks the 16th time a Warhawk running back has reached the milestone in as many years.
“A lot of great backs have been in that position to take the workload – Levell Coppage, Justin Beaver. It feels good to be in great company, carrying the workload and trying to help this team,” said Ratliffe, who rushed for 1,259 yards in 2013 and added 950 rushing yards a year ago.
Last season Ratliffe shared the backfield with Dennis Moore, another 1,000-yard rusher. But with Moore battling injuries, the lion’s share of this season’s carries have been given to Ratliffe.
He knew he would have to step up in Moore’s absence, and Moore offered encouragement from the sidelines.
“He told me this is going to be my year,” Ratliffe recalled. “I took that upon my back to do whatever I can to help this team win and be that leader that the team needs.”
Despite a larger workload this season, Ratliffe said he continued to feel healthy as the regular season transitioned into the playoffs.
“Once the postseason started, I started getting that mentality, like ‘I feel good.’ It’s the third year in a row (the team has reached the playoffs) so my body is getting more used to it,” Ratliffe said. “I get in (the trainer’s room) for a lot for treatments – taking more ice baths, getting proper rest, eating right. Once the postseason starts, you got to get your body back like it was Week 1.”
Ratliffe certainly appeared healthy as he racked up 159 yards on 17 carries while only playing in the first half of Saturday’s win over the previously unbeaten Midwest Conference champion Green Knights.
In fact, Ratliffe broke a 73-yard touchdown run on the Warhawks’ first possession. And because of a holding penalty on the fourth play of the game, Ratliffe finished that drive with more rushing yards (94) than UW-Whitewater had in total yards of offense (84).
“Coming in the game, it was going to be one of those type of days where we’re probably going to have to pound the rock all day,” Ratliffe said, referring to the snow storm that swept through southern Wisconsin Friday night and into Saturday afternoon. “It was good to get out there and just run the ball a lot today. A great group of backs came in and actually did the job too, so I’m proud of the young guys that got in and got an opportunity to play.”
Bullis said the weather added another element to forming a game plan because it was the first snowfall of the season. But despite not practicing in snowy weather once this season, he credited his players for overcoming that obstacle and starting strong.
“It was great for us, again, to start off the game with a long run … and really established the tempo right off the bat,” he said.
While Ratliffe had the biggest game statistically, several other Warhawks contributed to the running game. Jarrod Ware added 91 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown run; Canton Larson broke a 61-yard scoring run on his way to 74 yards rushing; and Nick Patterson chipped in 48 yards on the ground.
“They gave us the opportunity to be able to run the ball the way we wanted to do. We obviously have the offensive line, we have the running backs to be able to do that well,” Bullis said, adding that his pro-style offense has demonstrated its passing ability as well this year.
After the game Ratliffe said Ware, Larson, and Patterson played great, and he expressed gratitude for the offensive linemen’s efforts as well as the downfield blocking provided by wide receivers and tight ends. Bullis appreciates the humble approach taken by the running back in addition to his drive to improve.
“He’s a person that pushes himself,” Bullis said of Ratliffe. “His teammates follow that lead. He’s a leader in that manner.
“He doesn’t get caught up in the moments of the super-highs and the super-lows. He’s a very even-keel man, and that’s a great strength in life,” the coach added. “And he’s a very physical runner. I would not want to try to tackle him, I guarantee it.”
The Warhawks will face No. 6 Wheaton this weekend at McCully Field. Ratliffe said his team is prepared for the challenge after playing high-caliber teams like NAIA Morningside and WIAC rival UW-Oshkosh on the road earlier this year.
Bullis added the Thunder is an excellent team out of a strong conference. But he emphasized that his team will be prepared.
“I know they’re a very talented team, and we have our hands full. That’s reality,” Bullis said. “We focus on us, and that’s what we got to do. We focus on us, not on the opponent.
“We’ll have a good plan ready.”