A former Oxford High School star athlete received some much deserved recognition by his conference for his contributions on the football field this season.
Zach Line, a 2008 graduate who plays college football for Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs, was selected for the first team All-Conference USA for his efforts on the gridiron.
Line, a sophomore at SMU, rushed for 1,391 yards and 10 touchdowns this season and caught 15 passes for 158 yards. He led Conference USA in rushing with an average of 107.0 yards per game. He played in 13 games for the Mustangs, starting 11 of them.
He was one of five Mustangs named to first team Conference USA.
His 1,391 rushing yards is the third all-time in SMU history, trailing only Eric Dickerson’s 1,617 yards in 1982 and Dickerson’s 1,428 yards in 1981.
Line enrolled at SMU in January 2009 as a grayshirt. During his freshman season he played in 12 games, rushing for 180 yards and six touchdowns. He is majoring in business and political science.
During his time as a Wildcat under Coach Bud Rowley, he amassed a team high 154 tackles, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. He also rushed for 1,723 yards and 17 touchdowns.
In 2008 he won the George Prince award, an honor for the best male athlete and voted on by his peers.
Up next for Line and the Mustangs is a trip to the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl against Army on Dec. 30 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas, home of the Mustangs.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. The game can be seen on ESPN and heard on ESPN radio.