Ortiz joins the Aggie staff in January 2024 after spending the last two seasons as the cornerbacks coach at Nevada under Ken Wilson.
Last season, Ortiz's unit helped the Wolf Pack defense rank 15th in the nation in defensive touchdowns. The defense was headlined by one of Ortiz's own in First Team All-Mountain West defensive back Emany Johnson who led the team with 100 tackles and three interceptions. Ortiz also helped the Wolf Pack rank second in the Mountain West in interceptions returned for touchdowns with three, including a 98-yard return by defensive back KK Meier against Texas State.
In his first season in Reno, Ortiz saw his two starting cornerbacks, Isaiah Esssissima and Jaden Dedman, rank in the team's top seven in tackles with Essissima ranking second on the Pack with a pair of interceptions. Overall, Ortiz's unit contributed to a defense which intercepted 11 passes in 2022.
Prior to his stint with Nevada, Ortiz spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Oregon – primarily coaching defensive backs. While in Eugene, Ore., he was a member of Mario Cristobal's staff that won a Pac-12 championship in 2020 and finished runner-up in 2021.
During his time with the Ducks, Ortiz helped coach a secondary that finished with three all-conference players and had an NFL draft pick in Deommodore Lenoir who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. At Oregon, he also coached, Verone McKinley II who was a consensus All-American, Paycom Jim Thorpe Award finalist and First Team All-Pac-12 honoree.
Oritz also spent five season (2015-19) at Wyoming before joining the Ducks' staff. While with the Cowboys, he served as a graduate assistant on the defensive side of the ball his last two years after playing for Wyoming from 2015-17. In two seasons on staff, Ortiz helped Wyoming win 14 games, including a 2019 season in which the Pokes finished 8-5 and capped off the season with a 38-17 win over Georgia State in the Arizona Bowl. With the Cowboys, Ortiz also coached a pair of First Team All-Mountain West performers in addition to sixth-round NFL Draft pick Marcus Epps during his time at his alma mater.
Prior to starring on the Wyoming defense, Ortiz began his collegiate career at UCLA, lettering two seasons for the Bruins before transferring.
As a senior at Wyoming, Ortiz was the starting strong-side linebacker and nickel back. He helped the Cowboys to an 8-5 record and a victory in the 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He was part of a defense that ranked first in the country in takeaways, forcing 38 opponent turnovers. The Pokes also ranked ninth in the country in scoring defense, first in the nation in fumbles recovered, second in interceptions, 13th in pass defense and 23rd in total defense.
Ortiz graduated from Wyoming with a degree in political science in 2017. He will make the move to Las Cruces along with his wife, Breah, and two sons, Ace and Andre.
