Former Head Football Coach Donahue Fighting Cancer
May 21, 2019 | Football
Terry Donahue, the winningest football coach in UCLA and Pac-12 history, has recently been diagnosed with cancer.
Donahue, 74, had surgery this past Friday at UCSD's Jacobs Medical Center and was released from the hospital this morning. He will begin chemotherapy following his recovery from his surgery.
The Donahue family appreciates everyone's well wishes but requests privacy at this time.
Donahue served as head coach at his alma mater for 20 years. After five seasons as assistant coach, he was named to succeed Dick Vermeil at the helm in January 1976.
For the next two decades, Donahue built UCLA's football program into one of the finest in the nation. He led the Bruins to 13 postseason bowl gamesโincluding four Rose Bowlsโand won five Pacific-10 championships. He became the first coach in NCAA history to win a bowl game in seven consecutive seasons, capturing the 1983 and 1984 Rose Bowls, the 1985 Fiesta Bowl, the 1986 Rose Bowl, the 1986 Freedom Bowl, the 1987 Aloha Bowl and the 1989 Cotton Bowl.
His record during his 20 years as the Bruin head coach was 151-74-8 for a winning percentage of .665. The Bruins finished in the top 20 a dozen times, including five in the top 10. Named Conference Coach of the Year twice, he currently holds the record for career conference wins with 98, and his 151 wins are the most in UCLA history.
Donahue coached 34 first-team All-Americans and more than 100 of his players were selected in the NFL Draft. Some of the greatest players in school history, such as Troy Aikman, Kenny Easley, Ken Norton, Jr. and Jerry Robinson, were guided by Donahue. Numerous assistant coaches became collegiate head coaches and NFL assistant coaches.
Donahue made six appearances in the Rose Bowl, one as a player, one as an assistant coach, and added an impressive 3-1 record as a head coach. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1997 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000.