He Peizhang, or Jackson He, arrived in the United States five years ago without having ever played football, or any sport, at a high competitive level.
Last week he suited up to play his first game as running back for Arizona State University. Jackson, an English name he took in tribute to the late singer Michael Jackson, is believed to be the only Chinese-born player on the roster of a power five college football conference.
The 5-foot-9-inch, 220-pound Jackson is described on the ASU website as “a physical and smart athlete who has found a home at the running back position entering his second season with the program."
“Knowing that I’m the only one at this level, this opportunity is rare,” he told AZFamily 3TV.
The remarkable journey from to Shaoguan, a city of 700,000 in southern China north of Hong Kong, to lining up for the Sun Devils began with parents worried over his academic performance.
Schooling in China is a hothouse, a hugely competitive business, and his parents feared their son could lose out on furthering his education. Students have only one shot at passing the national exam for entry to university.
"I had no say in it,” Jackson told AZFamily.com. “I knew nothing about America. I was pretty sad, but I knew their decision was right. I respected it because I was taught that way.”
Jackson was shipped to California where he enrolled in Lutheran High School in San Diego, a small private school. His size attracted the attention of the football coach at the small high school with a limited pool of talent. Jackson reportedly picked up the game immediately,
After two years a high school player, Jackson enrolled at the University of Jamestown in North Dakota where he drew the attention of ASU. He switched schools to play at the FBS level.
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