“Coach Antonio Pierce came up with that shirt. It’s so cool. I was practising and saw him wearing this shirt. I said, ‘hold on, what does it say right there. Oh my god, it says Chinese can ball too’. I didn’t know he was going to do that.”

College football pundits and Asian influencers from around the world post the now-viral clips of He just about bulldozing through the end zone for the touchdown and his refreshing postgame interview. A few commentators were guilty of mispronouncing his name, but He saw the funnier side of it.

“I just wanted to score. It’s the one-yard line, you gotta score,” said the native of Shaoguan in Guangdong province.

“He is actually he [pronounced huh] in Chinese. I feel like He is just my name. When I came here, people didn’t really know how to say it and started to say ‘he’. That’s kind of fun, too.”

Perhaps most remarkable is He’s rapid ascension to reach NCAA Pac-12 levels. He was only introduced to the sport after travelling to the US for studies as a 17-year-old. He cited his parents’ seeking of “better education and opportunities” in the US – “which they were right”.

“I was walking around campus in high school [in San Diego] and a teammate’s parent came up to me and said, ‘You’re big, you should play left tackle’. I wanted to try new things coming into a new environment. That’s how it started,” said He, who attended the University of North Dakota for two years thereafter, before conceding to the cold weather and migrating to Arizona.

“The first season was really miserable because I knew nothing about football, but my teammates and coaches were really supportive and patient and taught me the rules, details, and helped me watch film. This game is so attractive because there’s a lot of physical contact and strategy. It’s like playing chess on the field.”

He underwent his own intensive language and culture course thanks to lots of Big Bang Theory bingeing and “trying not to be shy to talk to people in English”.

Now in his second year with ASU, He has very much settled in with coaches since persuading them he could join the team as a walk-on (a player without an athletic scholarship or having been recruited beforehand). He teaches Chinese words to teammates here and there, while trying to catch up in the gym having started football – let alone any sport – so late.

Opportunities for walk-ons are scarce and He may have to wait for his next appearance, forget even getting points on the board. But that is what it is all about.

“This is what life is. There is going to be a lot of people who are really good at this position, but you just have to be prepared for everything coming to you. So when the chance really does come, you can take over,” said He, who majors in healthy lifestyle coaching.

For his parents, who are as unfamiliar with the sport as He was just a few years ago, the milestone is just a small etch in what is to come.

“I talk to them every day. I told them after the game, ‘Mum and dad, I scored a touchdown’. They were so happy for me, but at the same time told me to focus on what’s next – what’s really important to you. You gotta be humble. They have been very supportive ever since I told them I started playing.”

Another creature comfort of home He longs for is his grandmother’s cooking – a complete contrast to the Chipotle diet he has been on in recent months.

“After coming to the US, I miss my grandma’s food the most because she always cooked for me growing up. That’s how I got this physique,” He said, switching to Mandarin. He stands at 1.75m (5ft 9in) and weighs 100 kilos (220 pounds).

“Egg dumplings – she uses egg as the shell and puts meat inside and fries it. It’s really good.”

Grandma He, the rest of the family, and the 1.4-billion-strong nation of China would be undoubtedly proud at the barriers the youngster has already broken.

To those watching in awe back home, He said: “It’s really cool to know I made history. I feel like my story can inspire more people. Definitely, I want to show that Chinese can ball, too. There are more Chinese to come to this level to play in the future, definitely.

“Keep working hard because nothing is promised. I think sports it the only thing that you get whatever you put in. Hard work pays off, so keep following that dream.

“I’m very happy and satisfied, but I know it’s a long road and there’s a lot of hard work to do now. This is only the beginning.”