CBS 42 reports that former Alabama Crimson Tide star receiver Tyrone Prothro landed a coaching job with the Birmingham Wildfire.

“We’re thrilled to add someone like Tyrone to our staff,” Wildfire coach Mike Clements was quoted as saying. “I can’t think of anyone who better connect with the receivers we have on our team.”

Prothro’s bio is on the Wildfire website. Here is what the Wildfire says about Prothro; it brings back good memories.

“Prior to the 2005 season, Prothro was named second-team All-SEC and, despite his injury, was named to the second-team All-SEC at the end of the season. Prothro won the 2006 ESPY Award and the Pontiac Game Changing Award of the Year for Best Play for his outstanding catch, labeled by many as the Catch, in which he caught the ball behind the head of Southern Mississippi’s Jasper Faulk on a Hail Mary pass from quarterback Brodie Croyle right before half-time in the game on September 10, 2005 in Bryant-Denny Stadium. Prothro’s catch helped the Tide defeat Southern Mississippi 30–21. This play also has been rated by The Best Damn Sports Show Period as the Eighth Greatest Catch of All Time. It was the highest ranked college play on the list, and ranked even higher than such memorable plays as The Catch.”

15 thoughts on “Prothro gets coaching job”

  1. Dang. I was hoping he had a real job, not one he’ll have to replace as soon as this “pro” league folds…like all the others. Vulcans, Americans, Stallions, Fire, Barracudas, Thunderbolts and Steel Dogs, meet your newest brother…The Wildfire!

    Well, the best time to look for a job is when you already have one. Go Prothro!

  2. Congratulations Prothro!!!

    I N K72 — it may seem like it’s not a “real” job — but to get a gig anywhere in this economy and especially in professional athletics is a blessing in disguise. Maybe this will catapult him to a higher caliber later on in his coaching career which he totally deserves — he made “The Catch” and sacrificed his player career for the University of Alabama. I got nothing but mad props for him. He probably doesn’t read this but if he does I got a thumbs up for him any day of the week. RTR.

  4. Alabama, always being the glory by commitee kind of team rarely has a one man ‘crutch’ so to speak. But T Pro was just that. He made that team function as no other individual player ever has. T Pro forced our opponents to adjust their entire defensive game plan to revolve around him, thereby opening up the field for others to make plays. The day we lost him Bama’s offense became as impotent as a castrated hog. Evidence the Florida game, I do believe that T Pro would have won the Heisman and Bama the NC had he not been injured. I still get nauseous and turn my head when that horrible play is shown. T Pro, I wish you the greatest of success at whatever opportunities life brings your way. RTR!

  5. Hey guys, my take was more of a shot at our “new” team than Tyrone. Good on him for getting a shot somewhere, just think surely there is a college out there somewhere where he could go the GA route. My point was that he’ll be unemployed again in a year when this team folds, as history repeats itself for the umpteenth time in Birmingham.

    He was indeed a great player, and one of my all-time favs. And his injury was horrific, especially in the context of the game he was having against Florida. But that’s a tall claim that he made UA function “as no other player ever has”, E.G. But still, we all wish him well, just want to see him coaching for a long time, and not sure the next fly-by-night is that ticket. Bobby Humphrey hasn’t been tapped for much in the coaching profession after the Steeldogs died. Hope I’m wrong though.

  6. I may have been a little supurlative in my description. But do you remember that year? Our offense was all but unstoppable through the Fla game, and it was because the other team had to put their 2 best men on Prothro and the other nine had to be constantly aware of him. That not only opened the field for other players, but it forced the opponents to play an unfamiliar style of defense for our game. If you remember we struggled horribly on offense in every game after that. In fact we were terrible and it never improved. The closest similar situation that I can recall is Andre Smith. However, if Andre had been lost in the 3rd game of the year his inexperienced replacement would have improved with every game. That didn’t happen with Pro because there was no other with his game breaking abilities and therefore not only was our offense less talented, but they had to play into the teeth of every defense the rest of the year. IMO.

  7. Oh, you’re right about Prothro, especially that year. We went from dominating, exposing defenses to winning games 13-10 and 6-3. With a little more punch we would have beaten LSU at home, instead of losing in overtime. Who knows what would’ve happened in Auburn. But losing Prothro definitely put a daggar in us.

    But the frustrating part is, Shula’s inexperience led him to leave our gamebreaker in the game once we were already up 31-3. He did it the year before with Brodie against Western Carolina. You have to manage the risks you take, measuring the value against the risks. That kind of coaching inexperience is behind us now, thankfully, but 2005 may have been an even more special season had Pro been healthy the whole year. But think about it…from 2003 to 2006, how many players did we lose to season ending injuries?? Answer: a ton.

  8. One bad thing about the internet is that it gives a voice to all the jerks out there like intheknow72 who normally would only bug the people within a 10 foot radius of them

  9. Ok Cooper71, so what did ITK do to you today? You didn’t leave your wife at home alone did you??? LOL!

  10. Ummm… I looked up the Wildfire website and it is affilated with something called the Patti LaBelle Community Football League… as in Patti LaBelle the R&B singer with the crazy tricked out hair and the booming voice. Could this be any more ripe for satire? I can’t even begin… what next? The Gladys Knight and the Pips Neighborhood Fast Pitch Softball League?

  11. Damn CoopEr I know how the uat feel about there nutcases PLEASE STFU!!! ITK outside of Cap is the best thing smoking here.I think he learned a lil something from Ol Shane and his demis

  14. I just AGREE with what E.G. White always post. You are the cream of the crop. I really enjoy reading your posts and you lay the smack down like it should with a black eye and then some. Yeah I know — kissing ass — but I can never disagree with E.G. White — : ) He reps the voice of Crimson to the max.

  15. Thanks CrimsonBlood81. Like your screen name, I bleed Crimson! I love to argue, debate. I hate nasty name calling, slandering, derogatory inuendos and predjudicial damageing lies. However, when it comes to defending Bama against all of the above Ballplay can witness that I can and will get down and dirty with the worst, best of ’em! And Bama’s easy to defend ’cause our tradition is second to none! RTR!

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