Overview

An all-state pick in Michigan as a high school senior, Line not only racked up over 1,700 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, but also 154 tackles and eight forced fumbles on defense. He also finished third in his wresting weight class in the state championships. Even in Jones’ wide-open spread attack, Line found a role as a true freshman (though he enrolled at SMU a semester early); he started six games and played in every one as a blocking and short-yardage back (49 carries, 189 yards, seven TD). He took a much larger role as a sophomore, starting 12 of 14 games played and churning out 1,494 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He displayed real toughness by missing one half of football after being hospitalized with a staph infection in his armpit early in the season and then playing the last four contests with a fractured bone in his lower back (95 carries, 522 yards, three scores).

Line was threatening the great Eric Dickerson’s school rushing record of 1,617 yards before missing the final three games of the 2011 season with a torn tendon in his toe. His 1,224 yards and 17 scores earned him a second straight first-team All-Conference USA honor despite the injury. In 2012, as a senior, Line managed to surpass Dickerson in total yardage, and tied him for the most rushing touchdowns in SMU history (47). Line’s senior season saw him carry the ball 277 times for 1,278 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Line was named to the Conference-USA first-team, and also was named the conference’s offensive player of the year.

Analysis