Former American Heritage standout contending for starting role on FIU offensive line

On Ming Tjon’s first-ever football play in pads, he got run over by a burly guard.

That guard might as well have been an 18-wheeler.

“I got a concussion,” said Tjon, who at the time was a freshman at South Plantation, where he was a scout-team defensive tackle. “The guard was much older, and he nailed me right in the head. I landed on my back, and what they say about seeing birds over your head when you’re passed out is very true.”

Although Tjon was born in Plantation, his mother – who is from China -- had been against him playing football. Tjon’s dad, who is from Vietnam, was more supportive of his career.

“My mom didn’t let me play football when I was younger because she said my brain hadn’t fully formed,” Tjon said. “So, when I got to high school – boom – I joined the team the first day.

“When I got that concussion, she was furious. But my dad said, ‘Keep going. You got it. Just have fun.’”

Dad won that battle, and Tjon in 2020 went on to win a Class 5A state title in his senior year at American Heritage, where he served as their starting center.

Tjon joined FIU last season as a preferred walk-on, and now – ironically enough – he is running as the first-team center due to concussions suffered by the two players who had been ahead of him on the depth chart, Julius Pierce and John Bock II.

“This is my time to step up,” Tjon said. “I’m going to continue to compete for the (starting) job. I hope the coaches can see that I benefit the team.”

Tjon said he had a high snap during a recent scrimmage, which is something he takes personally.

FIU coach Mike MacIntyre, however, had praise for Tjon’s overall work.

“He has done a really good job playing center for us,” MacIntyre said when asked about Tjon, who has grown to an imposing 6-4 and 315 pounds. “He’s getting better every day.”

Tjon’s trademark seems to be his enthusiasm.

At Heritage, he blocked for 6-1, 215-pound running back Mark Fletcher, a four-star recruit who has committed to Ohio State as part of the Class of 2023.

“That guy runs like a horse,” Tjon said. “Every time he would break free, I’d be celebrating, pointing toward him. It was a rush of adrenaline.

“Being a bigger guy, I’ve always been drawn to football. I love the game – watching it, evaluating it, celebrating touchdowns, making gaps for my running backs. My strength is in the running game.”

Tjon’s offensive line in high school also featured 6-foot-7, 345-pound tackle Miguel Cedeno, who now plays at Rice.

At FIU, Tjon is part of an offensive line that is mostly inexperienced at this level. The most notable exception is Lyndell Hudson Jr., who has made 18 starts for the Panthers.

Even so, Tjon is hoping to open holes for FIU running backs, EJ Wilson, Lexington Joseph and Kejon Owens.

Travis Spiva, the offensive line coach at American Heritage, said Tjon would have had numerous scholarship offers out of high school had it not been for the COVID epidemic curtailing recruiting to a certain extent.

“At Heritage, we usually get flooded with college scouts,” Spiva said. “(Tjon’s) recruiting would’ve been off the charts. He has Power Five size, but he didn’t have enough film.

“He’s a late bloomer, but he can play at that Power Five level. He’s smart. You give him a concept, and he picks it up. He knows all five positions on the offensive line.”

Spiva said Tjon has a mean streak on the field, but he doesn’t get angry often.

More common, Spiva said, is finding Tjon cheering on his teammates, whether he is on the field or on the bench.

But Tjon doesn’t just root for his FIU teammates. He also keeps tabs on football players who share his Asian roots.

Tjon noted that Notre Dame’s starting quarterback this year, Tyler Buchner, has some Korean ancestry. Meanwhile, Jameson Wang, whose great-grandfather captained China’s 1936 Olympic soccer team, started at QB for Cornell as a freshman last season.

In addition, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has Korean ancestry on his mother’s side.

“It just shows you,” Tjon said. “No matter what race you are, if you know how to play ball and you are determined, you can compete.”

This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 8:00 AM.