Rally the Valley Tour<\/a>, which offered activities, as well as networking opportunities, for families, fans and prospective students and student-athletes at venues across the Central Valley. Newly named Fresno State head coach Matt\u00a0Entz\u00a0was on hand in Hilmar, and as several attendees have noted, became fixated on Ortiz, who was walking around the patio space at Great American Grill.<\/p>\n\u201cMy parents being alumni, and all of us being the Fresno State fans we are, we said, \u2018We need to go see this, right? Why don\u2019t we see what this is all about?\u2019 We didn’t know it was a full blown gathering with the coaches and staff with things starting at certain times, so we were actually late,\u201d Ortiz said with a laugh. \u201cWe remember seeing\u00a0Entz, and my parents noticed he was looking at me. As soon as the (Q&A panel) ended, he was right there with me and we were talking.\u201d<\/p>\n
After several conversations with staff, Ortiz was formally offered by Fresno State just hours ahead of the team\u2019s home opener against Georgia Southern on Aug. 30. The Bulldogs maintained their interest by having scouts and games, practices and hosting Ortiz on the field during gamedays.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn one of the gameday visits that we went on,\u00a0Entz\u00a0said that one of the main things that he likes about me is that he can build me,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cHe said I have the frame to be able to build off of. Like I said, I’ve only been playing for three years, so I’m definitely not perfect, right? But he likes my frame, and he said that they can build me into a Bulldog.\u201d<\/p>\n
Entz\u00a0spoke with the\u00a0Journal\u00a0at the Hilmar event about the program\u2019s increased emphasis on scouting in the Central Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a lot of talent that is simply being overlooked in the Valley,\u201d\u00a0Entz\u00a0said. \u201cWe don\u2019t always have access to go into certain pockets of the nation, so we need to recruit and find those hidden gems in our backyard and make sure we develop them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ortiz was also offered by Sacramento State, and has received interest in programs like Oregon State, Washington State, San Jose State, Minnesota, Boise State, Colorado State, Nevada, Wyoming, La Verne, Columbia, Cornell and Dartmouth.<\/p>\n
At the time of the Rally the Valley meeting, Ortiz was coming off an eventful sophomore year.<\/p>\n
Standing well over six feet tall in middle school, Ortiz liked football, and he was always encouraged by friends to play the sport, but he ultimately delayed strapping on the helmet to avoid any injuries that could hinder his impact on the court. During his sophomore year, Ortiz was brought up to varsity in both sports. He earned significant playing time on the Yellowjackets\u2019 offensive line, while rarely seeing action in the gym. After that season, he scrapped his basketball plans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought for sure that I was going to college for basketball because I was good at it, but everything changed my sophomore year,\u201d Ortiz said. \u201cI honestly never thought that I would be playing football at the Division I level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we were making our runs this last summer, visiting the campus, my family was looking back like, \u2018The last time we were here, we thought you were going to play basketball here.\u2019 Well, look at us now. We’re going to be playing football, and I couldn\u2019t be more excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Justin_Ortiz_2.width-800.jpg\")
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