Prothro Rests After Getting Cancer Treatment at UCLA

Tommy Prothro, a former head football coach of Oregon State, UCLA, the Rams and San Diego Chargers, is seriously ill with cancer, he revealed Monday.

Prothro, 72, said his condition was diagnosed as prostrate cancer in 1985. When it worsened in January, spreading throughout his body, he flew to Los Angeles from his home in Memphis, Tenn., and spent the last three months undergoing experimental treatments at the UCLA Medical Center.

“I have cancer, and nobody knows how it’s going to go from there,” Prothro said. “It’s certainly nothing to give up on, but it’s certainly something to worry about. I certainly don’t intend to give in.”

Prothro, who recently returned to Memphis, said he hasn’t decided whether to go to UCLA for any more experimental treatment.

“The doctors don’t know if it worked,” Prothro said. “This is the rest period where they’re waiting to see if it worked.”

A former quarterback at Duke, Prothro had a 104-45-5 record in 16 seasons as a head coach at Oregon State and UCLA, where he guided Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Terry Baker and Gary Beban. In Prothro’s six seasons at UCLA, his record was 41-18-3, the third-best winning percentage in school history behind Red Sanders and Terry Donahue.

Prothro left the Bruins in 1971 to coach the Rams and later the San Diego Chargers. His NFL coaching record was 35-51-2.