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African Americans and college football, Part 4: The “black” quarterback

By Dante Pryor

LOS ANGELES, CA: Rodney Peete of the USC Trojans circa 1987 pre game at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA: Rodney Peete of the USC Trojans circa 1987 pre game at the Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Owen C. Shaw/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 1986: Quarterback Don McPherson #9 of the Syracuse University Orangemen scrambles against the Penn State University Nittany Lions during a college football game at Beaver Stadium in October 1986 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – OCTOBER 1986: Quarterback Don McPherson #9 of the Syracuse University Orangemen scrambles against the Penn State University Nittany Lions during a college football game at Beaver Stadium in October 1986 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images) /

The 1980s: The rise of the black quarterback

The 1980s saw the first significant spike in major colleges recruiting and playing black quarterbacks as 1986 was a watershed year for black quarterbacks in the NCAA.

Don McPherson became one of the most decorated black quarterbacks at the time. In the 1986 season, McPherson won the Davey O’Brien, Sammy Baugh, Johnny Unitas and Maxwell Awards. He also finished second in the Heisman voting which is still a hot topic for Syracuse fans.

Just a couple of years later, USC quarterback Rodney Peete became the first black quarterback to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1988. After winning the cover, Peete won the Unitas Award and led the Trojans to the Rose Bowl.

The 1988 season might have been the best year for black quarterbacks in the 1980s. The 1989 Fiesta Bowl saw the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeat the West Virginia Mountaineers to win their last national title. It was the first time two black quarterbacks — Tony Rice and Major Harris– played one another for a national title.

Also, 1989 saw Andre Ware become the first black quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy. This was, however, the beginning.

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