On February 1, 1955, Tommy Prothro was hired as Oregon State's head football coach. Prothro had been an assistant coach under Red Sanders at UCLA from 1949 to 1954 and at Vanderbilt from 1946 to 1948.[2] Prothro remained at Oregon State for 10 seasons, compiling a record of 63–37–2 (25–9–1 against PCC opponents).