'Like a Father Figure to Me': The Close Relationship Between RG Cam'Ron Johnson and OL Coach Brandon Jones

Guard Cam'ron Johnson and coach Brandon Jones have known each other for years and have grown together.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers right guard Cam'Ron Johnson (74) bends down ahead of a snap during a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium / Matt Guzman/MissouriOnSI

Missouri Tigers offensive line coach Brandon Jones essentially has three kids. Two of these are his daughters, 11 year-old Jordan and 7 year-old London.

Then there is the 23 year-old. Missouri guard Cam'Ron Johnson might not biologically be his, but both claim the titles of father and son to each other.

"We've spent a lot of time together over the years," Jones said on the Tiger Talk radio show Tuesday night. "My daughters think the world of him. My wife does too. He's family."

Their story goes all the way back to Johnson's recruiting process when he was a teenager. The three-star guard hailed from Houston and Jones was a frequent figure in his recruiting process. During this time, Jones worked as an offensive line coach at Texas Tech, one of the schools Johnson received an offer from.

His final decision came down to staying and playing for his hometown team, the University of Houston.

But that wasn't the end of their story. The twos paths would intersect again, with Jones accepting a job as Co-offensive coordinator at Houston around the same time that Johnson began his collegiate career there.

In his first couple years at Houston, Jones and Johnson got closer, forming a mentor-mentee relationship. Jones brought along Johnson from being a one-snap redshirt freshman in 2020 to a frequent back up guard in 2021, appearing in all games, to a consistent starter receiving national recognition in 2022.

"He just mean the world to me, honestly," Johnson said of Jones. "He just been there for me on and off the field."

Sometimes to become better, there needs to be tough love and hard lessons. As a young guard, Johnson had overslept and missed practice. Despite their close relationship, Jones determined that he needed to learn the consequences of missing practice. This time, it would be in the form of barrel rolls.

"B. Jones was not having it, so he he made me roll like 1,400 yards," Johnson said. "It was pitiful and then I had to get on a three hour plane ride."

The lesson was more than successful, with Johnson being driven to avoid that punishment at all costs.

"I just felt like I was all over the place, throwing up, all type of stuff," Johnson said. "But, it definitely taught me not to be late."

With his great success at Houston, Johnson made the hard decision to leave home and enter the transfer portal following his 2022 season. Family is Johnson's whole world, playing in Houston meant his family could easily attend. Entering the transfer portal meant that would no longer be the case.

This decision was made a little easier when Jones received an offer to join the Missouri Tigers staff in April of 2023, however.

"Coming here was was big for him," Johnson said. "And also big for me. Coming to SEC, being able to play at a top school and go against the best every week has been exciting for that. So (Jones accepting a job with Missouri) was a big part of my process."

Despite being hours from home, Johnson wasn't without family in Missouri. He had the man he spent the last few years learning from and forming a bond with. After all this time, their relationship is more than just coach and player.

"Away from home is definitely like a father figure to me," Johnson said. "He's definitely just kept me in the right places when I definitely stepped outside of what I should be doing."

Jones seems to agree. When Tiger Talk host Mike Kelly misspoke and called the guard Cam'ron Jones, The coach was quick to make a joke.

"Cam'ron Jones? Its basically that."

They may be closer than your typical coach and player relationship, but that doesn't mean that Johnson gets any special treatment from Jones. Its actually quite the opposite. Jones isn't afraid to be a little harsher and more critical of his pupil.

"We can talk to each other more on a personal level," Johnson said. "He can come at me a little harder than he can other guys, and I don't take it personal at all."

Through recruiting, family matters and injuries, the pair have been with each other for quite a bit. They keep each other in check, they help each other get better every day and they always have someone who is there for them.

"It's all love at the end of the day."

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Mizzou's Brady Cook Spent Bye Week to Reset, Hone in on Mechanics
Bowl Projections for Mizzou Football Ahead of Week 6
A Look to the Past May Help Solve Current Mizzou Football Woes