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NEW MEXICO: First team all-Mountain West Conference selection in 2002...ranked No. 16 among the nation’s strong safeties by The Sporting News in its 2003 preview...returned to the team after sitting out 2001 due to academic difficulties...was the Mountain West co-Freshman of the Year along with Utah DE Jason Kaufusi in 2000...brings a lot of passion and very good football instincts to the field...excellent blitzer and real playmaker both at the line of scrimmage and in coverage...a dangerous kick returner as well...must improve his overall effort and discipline on and off the field...will begin the 2003 season behind junior Josh Bazinet on the depth chart at wolf (strong) safety...a redshirt in 1999. 2002 (JUNIOR): Voted second team all-MWC by the Las Vegas Review Journal...fourth on the team and led members of the secondary with 73 tackles (32 solo)...tied for third on the team with 13 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks...tied for the team-lead and second place in the MWC with 3 interceptions for 50 yards...also led the team with 266 yards on 12 kick returns (22.2 avg.)...UCLA (Las Vegas Bowl)...outstanding effort in his first bowl game...shared game-high honors with 8 tackles (4 solo)...teamed with Billy Strother for an 11-yard sack in the first half...helped a tenacious Lobo defense hold the Bruins to just 167 yards, 206 below their season average, and one offensive touchdown...Wyoming...recorded a career-high 2 interceptions, both killing Wyoming drives deep in Lobo territory...picked off Casey Bramlet’s endzone pass with UW trailing just 21-7 midway through the 2nd quarter...made 2nd pick on the UNM 20-yard line early in the 4th...notched 3 tackles...Colorado State...4 stops (2 solo)...blew up an attempted WR reverse pass, dropping the CSU receiver for an 11-yard loss...BYU...turned the tide of the game early in the second quarter with a 50-yard interception return...UNM trailed 10-0 before Ratcliff jumped an out pattern for his first career INT and returned it to the BYU 2-yard line...UNM scored on the next play to cut the deficit to 10-7...was also credited with 3 tackles, a pass deflection and a QB hurry...San Diego State...big time performance to help spark the Lobos to victory...7 tackles, including a career-high 1.5 sacks and 3 tackles for loss...recovered Adam Hall’s 3rd quarter fumble after he and teammate Terrell Golden combined to sack the SDSU QB...UNM went on to take its first lead of the day 10 plays later...also teamed with linebacker Billy Strother to drop Hall for a safety late in the fourth quarter to give UNM a 7-point cushion...part of an outstanding effort by the Lobo secondary...helped limit the nation’s fifth-best passing attack to just 153 yards, 180 below its average...Utah...tremendous effort with a career-high 12 tackles, including 1 for loss...third-highest tackle total for UNM this season...UNLV...strong performance with 7 tackles, including 1 for loss...made one of the biggest plays of the game when he intercepted the Rebels’ 2-point conversion pass in the endzone and ran 103 yards down the sideline for a defensive PAT, the first in school history...play turned what could have been a narrow 3-point UNM lead into a 23-16 advantage midway through the 4th quarter...Texas Tech...5 tackles (4 solo) and 1 stop for a loss of 4 yards...also had a career-long 44-yard kick off return...New Mexico State...8 tackles (3 solo) in 57 defensive snaps...Baylor...7 tackles, including 1 sack and 2 TFL starting at the wolf safety position...41 plays. 2000 (REDSHIRT FRESHMAN): Had the most tackles (71) by a UNM rookie since linebacker Blake Irwin logged 131 in 1994...played in 12 games with 10 starts...71 tackles ranked 4th on the squad and he tied for 3rd on the team with 5 PBU...Air Force...7 tackles in 42 plays...recovered a fumble at the UNM 3, preventing a Falcons’ touchdown, which proved to be critical in the 29-23 Lobo win...had a 77-yard KO return nullified by penalty...San Diego State...8 tackles (4 unassisted) in 56 plays...also recorded a sack, which caused a fumble by Aztec QB Lon Sheriff...UNM recovered at the SDSU 14 and turned it into a TD 4 plays later...Utah...team-high 9 tackles (4 unassisted)...also a PBU and a 7-yard sack...Wyoming...solid game with 3 stops in 34 plays...had a PBU and a sack of Cowboy QB Jay Stoner for 8 yards... Northern Arizona...2 tackles and a PBU in 48 plays...also joined in on a sack with Brian Johnson, causing a 14-yard loss...New Mexico State...7 tackles in 60 plays, including a PBU...Oregon State...team and season-high 11 tackles, including 4 unassisted...Boise State... 5 tackles, a sack, TFL and a caused fumble in 60 plays...BYU...7 tackles, including a TFL in 49 plays. HIGH SCHOOL: A 1999 graduate of Dallas Roosevelt...all-district tailback and safety his junior and senior seasons...rushed 92 times for 672 yards and 12 TDs, plus 19 receptions for 262 yards and 4 scores as a senior...played for head coach Willie Dearion...62 tackles and 4 interceptions on defense...also recruited by Oklahoma State and Memphis...participated in basketball and track, too. PERSONAL: Born Jan. 31, 1981, in Dallas...age is 22...full name is Brandon Renauld Ratcliff...son of Margaret...majoring in University Studies. CAREER HIGHS: Tackles: 12, vs. Utah (10/26/02). Tackles For Loss: 3, vs. San Diego State (11/9/02). Sacks: 1.5, vs. SDSU (11/9/02). Interceptions: 2, vs. Wyoming (11/30/02). |
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