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What was Syracuse's Don McPherson like?  The Orangemen went undefeated in 1987, I'm assuming running an option-adjacent offense.
I know Marvin Graves was their next good QB and then McNabb.....but I never saw McPherson play.

Is there a recent equivalent?  Who would you compare him to?

I was 3

I remember thinking McPherson would have been a good fit at Nebraska running the option, but the Huskers were starting a young Steve Taylor that come out hot throwing for 5TDs vs UCLA and was faster than McPherson

I feel like there was a cluster of the athletic, non-'traditional option' QBs in the 5-6 years before Ward.
GT's Shawn Jones led them to a NC.  UVA's Shawn Moore led them to a #1 ranking.  Both ran for around 300 yards, although Moore was much more efficient.  He did have Herman Moore to throw too, however. 

I think the headliner of that type and era was Major Harris.  Their Fiesta Bowl? vs ND would have been something special, had he not gotten hurt. 
In actually looking at stats, Timm Rosenbach, a non-descript NFL name to me, had a helluva season at Wazzou, with 300 yards rushing and 10 TDs.  I would never have guessed that!!!

Other of this ilk, pre-Ward:  Arkansas' Quinn Grovey, SU's Marvin Graves, WV's Darren Studstill, Baylor's J.J. Joe, Tenn's Heath Shuler, NM's Stoney Case.

Obviously, most of these guys were black QBs who could do more than just run.  HCs finally trusted these guys to throw the ball...and while their overall pass attempts weren't high, it wasn't for lack of passing talent but for their rushing attempts.  They could do both. 

It's funny, of all the non-Ward names I listed in this post, the only NC winner probably had the worst passing stats. 

I feel like there was a cluster of the athletic, non-'traditional option' QBs in the 5-6 years before Ward.
GT's Shawn Jones led them to a NC.  UVA's Shawn Moore led them to a #1 ranking.  Both ran for around 300 yards, although Moore was much more efficient.  He did have Herman Moore to throw too, however. 

I think the headliner of that type and era was Major Harris.  Their Fiesta Bowl? vs ND would have been something special, had he not gotten hurt. 
In actually looking at stats, Timm Rosenbach, a non-descript NFL name to me, had a helluva season at Wazzou, with 300 yards rushing and 10 TDs.  I would never have guessed that!!!

Other of this ilk, pre-Ward:  Arkansas' Quinn Grovey, SU's Marvin Graves, WV's Darren Studstill, Baylor's J.J. Joe, Tenn's Heath Shuler, NM's Stoney Case.

Obviously, most of these guys were black QBs who could do more than just run.  HCs finally trusted these guys to throw the ball...and while their overall pass attempts weren't high, it wasn't for lack of passing talent but for their rushing attempts. They could do both. 

It's funny, of all the non-Ward names I listed in this post, the only NC winner probably had the worst passing stats. 

Going back even further, Rick Leach at Michigan was like that in the late 70s


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