Defensive Tackle Puts On a Clinic

Entering the game on Saturday against Harvard, Dartmouth junior quarterback Conner Kempe had been spoiled with great protection in the pocket. He had been sacked just once all season, avoiding tackles behind the line of scrimmage for 24 consecutive quarters. But this all changed once Kempe and his linemen were introduced to Crimson senior defensive tackle Josué Ortiz.

“Josué is a key part of our team and our defensive line,” said senior defensive tackle Chuks Obi. “He’s very destructive at the line against any offensive lineman. He’s one of the most remarkable [players] you have out there. He’s strong, he’s fast, but most importantly he’s versatile. He just creates havoc out there.”

A second-team All-Ivy selection a year ago, Ortiz’s dominant form led Harvard’s defense in an unrelenting attack that trampled over the Big Green offensive line for the entire game on Saturday. With the start of the first quarter, it was clear that Ortiz and his teammates had come to Hanover, N.H. strictly for business. By the end of the game, the Crimson defensive corps had registered 56 tackles, four sacks for a loss of 24 yards, and three interceptions to hand the Dartmouth offense its worst outing all season.

Ortiz twice accomplished what both Penn and Yale failed to do once against the Big Green. Ortiz claimed two sacks for a combined loss of 17 yards, despite being double-teamed by offensive linemen for much of the game.

Ortiz’s first sack of the game came at the most opportune time for the Harvard defense. In the third quarter, the Dartmouth offense marched down the field in just under four minutes to reach the Crimson 17-yard line. The hosts seemed poised to score until on a crucial third down, Ortiz sacked Kempe for a loss of eight yards to push the Big Green back to the 25-yard line. With this sack, Ortiz had robbed Dartmouth of a relatively manageable third-down conversion and replaced it with a fourth-and-long situation.

On the next play, the strong pass-rush efforts of Ortiz and his teammates this time resulted in an inaccurate pass by the Big Green quarterback that sophomore linebacker Bobby Schneider intercepted.

Ortiz’s second sack was less vital but still caused a long third-down attempt that the Big Green ultimately converted. This brought the senior’s season sack total to five, good enough to lead the team along with junior defensive end Benjamin Graeff.

Ortiz has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments, especially in the last couple of years. Last season—his first year with extended playing time—Ortiz was a breakout player despite not starting a game. Ortiz led the team with nine tackles for loss while also adding two sacks to his season total.

As a starter this year, Ortiz’s staggering performances on the line of scrimmage, especially against Dartmouth, have only reinforced his image as a very capable defensive end. But in light of his talents, Ortiz remains humble and is driven to continue improving.

“As a defense, including myself, we were able to make a couple of big plays that helped us win the game against Dartmouth,” Ortiz said. “But overall we still have a lot of improvements to make, especially for myself. There were a couple of times where I missed a tackle, so there is certainly room for improvement for myself and also for the rest of the defense, and that’s something that I will work on for the rest of the week.”

With Harvard approaching the most critical point of the season as they face Columbia, Penn, and Yale, one thing that remains certain is the level of tenacity Ortiz will bring to the field. In addition to his competitiveness, his leadership, experience, and success have garnered the respect of his teammates.

“I think he’s a great guy,” Obi said. “He’s got a great personality, he’s very strong-willed, and he’s a guy that a lot of the younger guys look to as an example. He works hard in the weight room and especially on the football field, and it shows through his performance.”