McMurry University Athletics

McMurry University Head Football Coach Jordan Neal announced the addition of D'Andre "Dre" Cortez to his staff as the defensive backs coach in July 2021. He enters his second season on staff in 2022.

In his first season with the program, three safeties earned all-conference honors, including Coryell Fillmore (2nd team), Ke'Shaun Jnofinn (3rd team) and Brenden Torrence (3rd team). Torrence was also named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week. For the season, the War Hawks finished with eight interceptions and 26 pass break-ups.

Cortez joined the War Hawks from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where he worked as a graduate assistant for one season. With the Buffs, he coached the cornerbacks and recruited the North Fort Worth and Texas Panhandle Areas. Other roles included planning and executing practice plans, scouting the opposing teams and leading the scout team offense, and assisting with the coordination of video, among other duties.

Cortez also spent the 2019 season at Midwestern State University as a graduate assistant. Prior to college level coaching, he worked as a volunteer defensive coach at H. Grady Spruce High School in Dallas, Texas for one month after graduating.

"I am excited for this opportunity to work with the defensive backs at McMurry," Cortez said upon his hire. "I'm looking forward to building a great relationship with all the players and anticipate having a great 2021 season."

As a player, Cortez was an all-conference defensive back at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. where he played under Coach Joe Morris. He lettered all four seasons at FLC.
 
He earned second team All-RMAC honors as a junior in 2017 with 40 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception. He also earned All-RMAC honor roll accolades. 
 
He started in 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2016 recording 38 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack while also forcing and recovering a fumble against Western Colorado. Also recorded three interceptions.
 
The Dallas native graduated from Fort Lewis College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science and Sport Administration. He is CPR, First Aid and AED certified.