Charlotte 49ers offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Phil Ratliff is being remembered not only for his “loving spirit” but “the spectacular impact he made on others and his positive outlook on life.” He passed away, Sunday, Aug. 9.
Ratliff, who was entering his fourth season with the 49ers, joined the program in January 2012, as Charlotte welcomed its first recruiting class. He was on the sidelines for the Charlotte 49ers in 2013 and 2014 and helped the 49ers prepare for the 2015 season as the team makes its debut in the FBS as a member of Conference USA.
Ratliff and his wife, Jenni, have two children, Haley and Dylan. The family will hold services in Charlotte. Visitation will be at University Hills Baptist Church on Friday, Aug. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. The funeral service will be Saturday, Aug. 15, at University Hills Baptist Church at 2:30 p.m. A Celebration of Life will follow at 6 p.m. at UNC Charlotte’s Halton Arena. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Phil Ratliff Memorial Fund to assist the family. Those donations may be made with checks payable to the UNC Charlotte Athletic Foundation at 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, N.C., 28223 or by calling 704-687-4950.
Charlotte 49ers football head coach Brad Lambert said Ratliff “was an infectious guy. Everybody he came in contact with – high school coaches, prospects, players – everybody loved the guy. He’s the kind of husband and father that you want in your program, and he taught everyone around here how to love: To love big and to build relationships on a daily basis.” Lambert was on the coaching staff at Marshall when Ratliff played for the Thundering Herd from 1989-92.
“It’s such a huge loss,” Lambert continued. “We have lost one of our best friends. Right now our focus is Jenni and his children and making sure that we are there for them as a family. They will always be a part of who we are and are an integral part of everything we’ve done. We will carry on his traditions and keep his family involved in our program. They are a part of our family and always will be. “
Director of Athletics Judy Rose stated, “Phil was one of those people that made everyone feel good even on a bad day. His ability to relate to people is one of the very reasons he will be missed. You really cannot replace Phil Ratliff. He has impacted many lives and the 49ers family is heartbroken. Our focus now is on providing the necessary support to the student-athletes, staff and Ratliff family during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to Jenni, Haley and Dylan.”
Ratliff was hired Jan. 1, 2012, after a six-year stint at his alma mater. A two-time all-America at Marshall, Ratliff was a part of the Herd’s 1992 NCAA I-AA National Championship team and was inducted into the Thundering Herd Hall of Fame. He served as tight ends coach there from 2006-11 before coming to Charlotte. He also coached at James Madison, where he helped the Dukes to the 2004 NCAA I-AA National title.
“Coach Ratliff was one of our first hires, and he was our first target,” Lambert recalled. “We wanted to build from the inside-out, and he was the guy we wanted for our offensive line. He came to Charlotte and was everything we thought he’d be from day one. He has had a huge impact from an offensive line standpoint and a recruiting standpoint.”
His impact went well beyond his football acumen, however.
One player, quarterback Lee McNeill, summed it up simply in a tweet: “I am a better man because of Coach Ratliff.”
“It’s massive,” Lambert said of his impact. “I’m just really glad to have been a part of his life. Our team knows how he went about it every day and that’s what we’re going to try to do to honor him: come every day with the intensity he came with, the positivity he came with and the impact on other people’s lives that he came with. That’s what he left us and that’s what we’ve got to push forward with. He taught us how to love people and love each other and he was so positive every day.”