Tommy Prothro

College coach infobox
Name = Tommy Prothro


Caption =
DateOfBirth = 1920
Birthplace =
DateOfDeath = 1995
Sport = Football
Title = Head Coach
OverallRecord = 104-56-5 (college)
35-51-2 (NFL) [ [http://www.pro-football-reference.com/coaches/ProtTo0.htm Tommy Protho Record, Statistics, and Category Ranks - Pro-Football-Reference.com ] ]
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID = 1913
Player = Y
Years = 1938-41
Team = Duke
Position = Quarterback
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1942
1955-1964
1965-1970
1971-1972
1974-1978
CoachTeams = Iowa State
Oregon State
UCLA
Los Angeles Rams
San Diego Chargers

FootballHOF = 1991
CollegeHOFID = 60018

James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. (July 20, 1920 - May 14, 1995) was an American football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels for more than 30 years.

Prothro, a native of Memphis, Tennessee, was the son of major league baseball player and manager Doc Prothro, who played for three teams between 1920 and 1926, then managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1939-1941. His uncle, Clifton Cates, was commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

College career

The younger Prothro found his niche in football, starting out as a quarterback for Wallace Wade's Duke Blue Devils. In 1941, Prothro's versatility on the field helped him win the Jacobs award as the best blocker in the Southern Conference as the Blue Devils reached the 1942 Rose Bowl. During his time at the school, Prothro also competed in baseball and lacrosse, and graduated from the school in 1942 with a degree in political science.

Prothro was drafted in the fifth round of the 1942 NFL Draft by the New York Giants [ [http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1942&lg=nfl 1942 NFL Draft on databaseFootball.com ] ] , but rejected the opportunity in favor of a budding coaching career and a brief attempt at professional baseball.

Assistant coach and military service

Prothro spent that fall serving as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky University, then entered the U.S. Navy as a lieutenant to fight in World War II, where he served for 39 months.

Upon leaving the service, Prothro served as an assistant coach at Vanderbilt University from 1946-1948, working as freshman coach during the first year. He then was brought along by the team's head coach, Red Sanders, when the latter was hired as head coach at UCLA. Over the next six years, Prothro used the single-wing formation as the team's backfield coach, helping the Bruins to an undefeated season and national championship in 1954.

College head coaching career

Oregon State

That success translated into his hiring as head coach at Oregon State College on February 1, 1955. The Beavers had won just one of nine games the previous season, but Prothro improved that mark to six games in his first season, then led team reach the Rose Bowl the following year. He would serve another eight years, making another Rose Bowl appearance in 1965 (1964 season) while compiling a 63-37-2 record for the decade, suffering only one losing season. The 1962 Beavers won a 6-0 decision over Villanova University in the Liberty Bowl, and was led by quarterback Terry Baker, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy. Baker's 99 yard run from scrimmage was the only score in the game and remains an NCAA record. This was the last Liberty Bowl played at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

UCLA

1965 Season

On January 11, 1965, he was hired as head coach at UCLA to replace Bill Barnes. In the 1965 football season, the Bruins lost their season opening game 13-3 at Michigan State. The Bruins would go on a seven game undefeated streak. Going into the 1965 UCLA-USC rivalry football game ranked number 7, the conference championship and 1966 Rose Bowl were on the line. Number 6 ranked USC, led by Heisman trophy winner Mike Garrett led 16-6 until UCLA got a touchdown on a pass from Gary Beban to Dick Witcher with 4 minutes to play. After the 2-point conversion made it 16-14, UCLA recovered an onside kick. Beban then hit Kurt Altenberg on a 50 yard bomb and UCLA won, 20-16. [ [http://www.english.ucla.edu/ucla1960s/6465/Smith2.htm UCLA Athletics: 1964-1965] UCLA.edu] UCLA then faced Tennessee in the newly built Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, Prothro's native city. On the last play of the game, Tennessee defensive back Bob Petrella intercepted a UCLA pass to save a Volunteer win by a score of 37-34. Coach Prothro, was uncharacteristically upset. He criticized a pass interference call, claimed that the clock had been wrongly stopped twice on Tennessee's winning drive, and said that a dropped pass was a lateral and a fumble. He stated, "For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be a Southerner." [John Shearer - [http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_76809.asp Memories: 1965 UT Football Team, Coach Bill Majors] . The Chattanoogan.com, December 5, 2005]

The Bruins went to the 1966 Rose Bowl where in a rematch of the season opener, they defeated those same heavily-favored Spartans by a 14-12 score. That final victory game gave UCLA an 8-2-1 mark and prevented the Spartans from winning the national championship, results that ended in Prothro earning Coach of the Year accolades from his coaching brethren. That 1965 Bruin team was nicknamed the "Gutty little Bruins."

1966

In 1966, due to uneven scheduling that left out new AAWU members Oregon and Oregon State, UCLA was 3-1 in conference games. The Bruins lost only one game, at Washington 16-3. USC was 5-0, but lost out of conference to Miami (Florida). It was widely assumed that the winner of the 1966 UCLA-USC game would go to the 1967 Rose Bowl. UCLA star QB Gary Beban was out with a broken ankle, but backup Norman Dow, making his first and only start at QB, led UCLA to a 14-7 win. [John Hall - BRUINS DO IT AGAIN! AWAIT BOWL BID: Dow's Heroics Spill Trojans in 14-7 Upset. Los Angeles Times, November 20, 1966] [John Hall - Bruins Hope to Celebrate Bowl Bid. Los Angeles Times, November 21, 1966] A vote the next Monday among the AAWU conference athletic directors put USC in the Rose Bowl. It was speculated that this was to make up for 1964 when Oregon State was controversially voted in ahead of USC, and also because the directors believed Beban could not play for UCLA in the Rose Bowl due to the broken ankle, thereby giving the Big 10 representative (Purdue) a better chance to win. [Paul Zimmerman - Rose Bowl Voting Has Long History of 'Controversy'. Los Angeles Times. November 22 1966] [Jim Murray - A Thorny Problem. Los Angeles Times, November 22, 1966] UCLA students protested by blocking the Northbound lanes of Interstate 405 at Wilshire Boulevard. A week after the vote, USC made the voters look really bad as they lost to Notre Dame 51-0. USC entered the Rose Bowl unranked and lost to Purdue, 14-13. Ironically, Beban's ankle had healed and he could have played. UCLA finished fifth in both polls.

1967

Two years later, he once again helped a quarterback capture the Heisman when Gary Beban was awarded the trophy after the regular season. He would bring his #1 ranked UCLA Bruin team to face USC in one of the "Games of the century". UCLA would lose to USC on a spectacular run by O.J. Simpson in the 1967 USC vs. UCLA football game. That campaign would be one of three in which the Bruins finished second in the AAWU/Pacific-8 Conference.

1968

The Bruins opened the 1968 season with a 63-7 beating of Pittsburgh and a win over Washington state. The season ground to a halt at Syracuse, and UCLA would win only one for game over Stanford 20-17. The Bruins lost to #1 USC and O. J. Simpson 28-16.

1969

The Bruins were undefeated through the 1969 season with only a tie against number 19 Stanford. UCLA and USC were both unbeaten coming into the 1969 UCLA-USC rivalry game. UCLA lost 14-12. A phantom pass-interference call on Danny Graham on a fourth-down play for USC late in the game and a questionable 32-yard touchdown catch by Trojan flanker Sam Dickerson with 1:38 to play were the deciding factors. This loss supposedly was harder for Prothro to take than the 1967 loss. [Rich Perelman - [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/bruin/2007/08/the-second-sadd.html What's Bruin: The second saddest date in UCLA football History] . Los Angeles Times, August 15, 2007]

1970

In 1970, his final season at UCLA, Prothro's team was only 6-5, but upset their arch-rivals, the University of Southern California, leaving Prothro 3-3 against the John McKay's Trojans in the rivalry. The Bruins narrowly lost to the eventual national champion Texas Longhorns 20-17. They suffered another close 9-7 loss to eighth-ranked Stanford. This game ultimately decided the PAC-8 championship and 1971 Rose Bowl representative.

College head coaching record

CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Oregon State Beavers
startyear = 1955
conf = Pacific Coast Conference
endyear = 1964CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1955
name = Oregon State
overall = 6-3
conference = 5-2
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1956
name = Oregon State
overall = 7-3-1
conference = 6-1-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Rose Bowl
bowloutcome = L 19-35
bcsbowl =
ranking = 13
ranking2 = 10CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1957
name = Oregon State
overall = 8-2
conference = 6-2
confstanding = T-1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1958
name = Oregon State
overall = 6-4
conference = 5-3
confstanding = 4th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1959
name = Oregon State
overall = 3-7
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1960
name = Oregon State
overall = 6-3-1
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1961
name = Oregon State
overall = 5-5
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1962
name = Oregon State
overall = 9-2
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname = Liberty Bowl
bowloutcome = W 6-0
bcsbowl =
ranking = 16
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1963
name = Oregon State
overall = 5-5
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1964
name = Oregon State
overall = 8-3
conference = 3-1
confstanding = T-1st
bowlname = Rose Bowl
bowloutcome = L 7-34
bcsbowl =
ranking = 8
ranking2 = 8CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Oregon State
overall = 63-37-2
confrecord = CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = UCLA Bruins
startyear = 1965
conf = Pac 10 Conference
endyear = 1970CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1965
name = UCLA
overall = 8-2-1
conference = 4-0
confstanding = 1st
bowlname = Rose Bowl
bowloutcome = W 14-12
bcsbowl =
ranking = 5
ranking2 = 4CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1966
name = UCLA
overall = 9-1
conference = 3-1
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking = 5
ranking2 = 5CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1967
name = UCLA
overall = 7-2-1
conference = 4-1-1
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking = 10
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1968
name = UCLA
overall = 3-7
conference = 2-4
confstanding = T-5th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1969
name = UCLA
overall = 8-1-1
conference = 5-1-1
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking = 10
ranking2 = 13CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1970
name = UCLA
overall = 6-5
conference = 4-3
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = UCLA
overall = 41-18-3
confrecord = CFB Yearly Record End
overall = 104-55-5
bcs =
poll = two
polltype =

NFL head coaching career

Los Angeles Rams

On January 2, 1971, Prothro accepted a new challenge when he was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. After two seasons in which he compiled a 14-12-2 record and failed to reach the playoffs, Prothro was dismissed on January 24, 1973, in favor of Chuck Knox. After the firing, player complaints followed that Prothro failed to motivate his teams.

Six weeks after his departure, Prothro filed a $1.9 million lawsuit against the Rams, alleging new Rams owner Carroll Rosenbloom breached his contract by dismissing him "without cause". However, on May 23, 1973, the two sides settled out of court, with Prothro being paid $225,000 to cover the final three years of his contract. For the next eight months, Prothro remained out of the game, actively pursuing investment strategies, as well as his main hobby, competitive bridge.

an Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers then hired Prothro as their new head coach on January 8, 1974, and also put him in charge of rebuilding the once-proud franchise that had become mired in a drug scandal. During his first two years, the team continued to struggle, bottoming out with a 2-12 mark in 1975, but that same year, Prothro drafted a number of players who would have a major impact on the franchise, including defensive linemen Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, Louie Kelcher and Fred Dean.

During each of the next two years, the Chargers showed considerable improvement, and seemed ready to make their move during the 1978 NFL season. However, a 1-3 start, marked by a loss to the Raiders in what became known as the Holy Roller game of September 10, caused Prothro to abruptly resign as head coach in favor of Don Coryell.

NFL front office

After less than five months away from the game, Prothro once again returned on February 14, 1979, this time as Player Personnel Director of the Cleveland Browns. During his three years with the team, he was responsible for drafting future Pro Bowl players Cody Risien and Hanford Dixon. However, after he departed, he was blamed for making a trade during his first draft in which he passed up the chance to draft future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow, and instead selected wide receiver Willis Adams and offensive lineman Sam Claphan.

Retirement

Prothro would not return to football in any official capacity for the remainder of his life, but was honored for his career efforts by selection to the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985, the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991. He died in 1995 after a three-year battle with cancer.

References