Antonio Zamora

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Zamora was born on 14 June 1982 in Monterrey, Nuevo León.^[1] He began playing American football at a young age in the AFAIM with the Vikingos del Fraccionamiento Bernardo Reyes.^[2][3][a] Zamora attended Preparatoria No. 2 de la UANL, where he played high school football for the Vaqueros as a quarterback.^[4] He enrolled at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL), studying electrical engineering.^[2] Zamora represented the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (FIME) as a member of the Osos de FIME in the UANL Intra-University Football League,^[5] leading the team to a league title in 2000.^[6] He also played against other schools with the Tigres UANL in both the juvenil (18 and under) and intermedia (20 and under) categories,^[1] going undefeated at home with both teams.^[7] Zamora led the juvenil team to a national championship in 1998 after throwing four touchdown passes in the final.^[8] Then, in 2001, he led the intermedia team to its first-ever national championship title, throwing a 79-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the final to seal the 20–12 win.^[9]

Zamora played college football in Liga Mayor for the Auténticos Tigres UANL from 2001 to 2005.^[10] He also received scholarship offers from the Aztecas UDLAP and Borregos Salvajes Monterrey, but stated that it was a dream since childhood to play for the Auténticos Tigres.^[2] Zamora was a traditional pocket passer, noted for his skilled arm and poise under center.^[11][12][13]

Following an injury to starter Rolando Piña, Zamora made his first Liga Mayor start in week five of the 2001 season. He threw three touchdown passes in a 44–43 comeback win over the Aztecas UDLAP – their first win ever over UDLAP – and was named the ONEFA player of the week.^[14][15] Zamora helped UANL reach the national championship game, but he exited the game with a fractured clavicle in a 20–12 loss to the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey.^[16] He was named the ONEFA Rookie of the Year after throwing for 1,456 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season.^[17]

Zamora led the Auténticos Tigres back to the national championship game in 2002, where they lost again to the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey.^[18] In the 2003 season opener, he threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns in a 20–17 win over the Borregos Laguna.^[19][20] In the regular season finale, Zamora tossed two touchdowns in a 20–14 overtime loss to the archrival Borregos Salvajes Monterrey.^[21] The two teams faced off again the following week in the semi-finals. Zamora threw two touchdown passes in a 31–16 loss in front of 28,000 spectators at the Estadio Tecnológico, as UANL was knocked out of the playoffs by Monterrey for the third year in a row.^[22]

Zamora opened his fourth season in 2004 by throwing four touchdown passes in a 53–0 win over the Pumas Acatlán [es].^[23] However, he suffered a sprained left knee the following week in a game against the Frailes del Tepeyac [es],^[24][25] forcing him to undergo surgery.^[26] After more than a month on the sidelines, Zamora made his return in mid-October against the Pumas CU and threw two touchdown passes in a 31–13 win.^[27] In his next game, he caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from teammate David Adkins in a 20–17 loss to the Borregos Toluca.^[28] A week later in the regular season finale, Zamora threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Omar Vélez in an 18–17 win over the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey, snapping a 16-game skid against their rivals. However, UANL failed to qualify for the playoffs.^[29]

In the 2005 season opener, Zamora threw four touchdowns in a 42–8 win over the Águilas UACH [es].^[30] Later that month, he tossed a pair of first-half touchdowns against the Borregos CCM [es] before he re-aggravated his left knee and exited the game.^[31][32] Zamora recovered in time for their next game,^[33] and even scored a rushing touchdown in the 18–10 loss to the Borregos Salvajes CEM.^[34] Two weeks later, he threw six touchdown passes in a 42–7 win over the Pumas Acatlán.^[35] However, Zamora re-aggravated his knee yet again in the first half of their next game against the Borregos Salvajes Toluca.^[36] Despite him missing the last two regular season games,^[37] the Auténticos Tigres qualified for the playoffs.^[38] Zamora returned in time for the playoffs, throwing a 61-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Samaniego in a 20–6 semi-final win over the Borregos Salvajes CEM in front of a record crowd of 14,000 at the renovated Estadio Gaspar Mass.^[39] UANL lost to their rivals, the Borregos Salvajes Monterrey, in the national title game.^[40]

Zamora finished his career with 64 passing touchdowns, which at the time ranked fourth in ONEFA history behind Carlos Altamirano (84), Enrique Villanueva (83), and Horacio Juárez (73).^[13][41][b]

Shortly after the 2001 college season, Zamora was chosen to represent Mexico in the 2002 Tazón de la Amistad (Friendship Bowl) against Japan, a rematch of the 1999 IFAF World Championship final.^[42] He threw a touchdown pass to Rodrigo Guzmán in a 27–24 loss.^[43]

Zamora was called up to the Mexico national team again ahead of the 2003 IFAF World Championship, held in Germany.^[44] As the second-string quarterback to Carlos Altamirano, he threw for 123 yards and two touchdowns in Mexico's 21–17 win over the host team, Germany in the semi-finals.^[45] Zamora was made the starter for the final two days later, throwing for 115 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions in a 34–14 loss to Japan.^[46]

Following his final collegiate season in 2005, Zamora was one of 65 players selected to represent the Mexican All-Stars in the 35th Aztec Bowl against a team of NCAA Division III All-Stars. He threw an interception in a 53–15 loss at the Estadio Universitario Alberto "Chivo" Córdoba.^[47][48]