Fernandez joined the Aggie staff in the spring of 2024 as the safeties coach after serving as the senior defensive analyst for a Texas team that came off a run that concluded in the College Football Playoff Semifinals. In total, Fernandez spent three seasons in Austin, Texas, working under Steve Sarkisian.
In 2023, Fernandez helped guide a Longhorn defensive squad that finished third in the nation in rush defense, seventh in the nation in red zone defense and 15th in the nation in scoring defense. In 2023, the Longhorn defense also saw four individuals secure first or second team All-Big 12 honors, including a trio of first team selections.
With Fernandez's help in 2022, Texas finished the season ranked second in the Big 12 in total defense, defensive touchdowns, red zone defense and scoring defense. In addition, the Longhorns' three defensive touchdowns scored were tied for 12th most by any FBS program. The 2022 Longhorn defense was ultimately highlighted by a pair of First Team All-Big 12 representatives in Jaylan Ford and DeMarvion Overshown. Fernandez's reputation was also bolstered by a selection to the 30 Under 30 list produced by 247Sports in 2022 – a list that recognizes college football's best and brightest under the age of 30.
Fernandez first began assisting the Longhorns on the defensive side of the ball in 2021 after spending two seasons as a graduate assistant at Washington where he worked under Co-Defensive Coordinators Pete Kwiatowski and Jimmy Lake.
Working primarily with the defense, Fernandez helped the Huskies post an 11-6 record across the 2019 and 2020 seasons. In the two years that Fernandez assisted with the Washington defense, UW landed six players on the All-Pac 12 first or second teams, including 2020 second team selection Trent McDuffie who was selected with the 21st overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and has blossomed into one of the top defensive backs in the NFL in just two seasons.
In 2020, Fernandez helped the Huskies finish tied for third in turnover margin while the UW defense also ranked 13th in the nation in passing yards allowed. One year prior, Washington posted the 15th-ranked scoring defense – allowing just 19.4 points per game.
Ahead of his time with Washington, Fernandez spent four seasons as a defensive assistant at his alma mater, Sacramento State. The former Hornet standout and all-Big Sky linebacker joined the Sac State staff in 2015 and spent time assisting coaching the linebackers, defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure.
Fernandez's time spent on staff with the Hornets was highlighted by a 2017 campaign in which Sacramento State finished the year with a 7-4 record – equaling the program's highest win total of the previous 16 seasons.
In his first season with the Hornets, Fernandez helped coach Darnell Sankey to All-America honors – a selection that made Sankey the first consensus All-American in the program's Division I era.
Prior to the start of his coaching career, Fernandez put together an impressive four-year career at Sacramento State where he garnered All-Big Sky Honorable Mention honors as a senior in 2014. In his senior season, Fernandez served as a team co-captain, started all 12 games and paced the Hornets with 106 total tackles – a mark that still ranks tied for 11th in program history. Fernandez was also named to the Big Sky All-Academic team in 2011.
Fernandez is originally from Oxnard, Calif., and will make the move to Las Cruces with his wife, Katrina, and their four children, Mynna, Jax, Nova and Levi.
