Rose Bowl Stadium Unveils Statue to Honor Legendary UCLA Coach Terry Donahue

A new statue was unveiled on Friday at the Rose Bowl Stadium honoring the legacy of Terry Donahue, the all-time winningest coach in UCLA football and Pac-12 Conference history. 

Ten of Donahue’s grandchildren and his widow, Andrea, were at the dedication ceremony with hundreds of fans in attendance, including many of Donahue’s former players. 

The tribute featured speeches by College Football Hall of Fame and Rose Bowl Hall of Fame members John Sciarra and Cade McNown, as well as UCLA legends Terry Tumey and Charles Arbuckle.

“He really knew how to connect with people, and he understood what it took to be great; he knew how to bring that out in others as well,” McNown, who was recruited by Donahue to UCLA in the mid-1990s, said. “It is my hope that this statue will inspire those who see it, to learn about Coach Donahue and the impact that he had on so many people, and to try to follow his example in life.” 

The statue is surrounded by 151 bronze roses, representing each of Coach Donahue’s career victories, and five footballs to commemorate conference championships won under his leadership. It was a gift from over 100 donors to the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation. Each rose was supported by individuals or families, including many of Donahue’s former players.

“When laying our eyes on this statue, we will not just be viewing one of the greatest coaches in our history, but also one of college football’s greatest humanitarians,” said Terry Tumey, a former UCLA player and current Athletic Director at Fresno State University. 

Donahue’s statue joins three others on Rose Bowl property, commemorating key moments and individuals in the venue’s history. These include Jackie Robinson, dedicated in 2017; the 1999 Team USA Women’s World Cup Champions, dedicated in 2019; and iconic broadcaster Keith Jackson, dedicated in 2019. 

Donahue’s statue is the first located inside the Rose Bowl’s gates. Adjacent to the Charles E. Young Locker Room, it serves as a symbol of inspiration for UCLA players and coaches before home games. Both Charles E. Young and Terry Donahue played pivotal roles in UCLA’s move to the Rose Bowl Stadium as its home field in 1982.

Touching upon the tradition initiated after Donahue’s passing in 2021, UCLA players and coaches began a new ritual last Saturday by touching a sign at the Donahue statue as they arrived at the Rose Bowl for the match against Colorado. The sign, reading “TD 42,” pays tribute to UCLA greats Donahue and Jackie Robinson.

During his more than two-decade tenure as the UCLA coach, Terry Donahue amassed more wins than any other football coach in the school’s history, including seven consecutive bowl championships in the 1980s. He won 151 out of 233 games he coached, including 98 victories in the Pac-10.

“Coach Donahue’s spirit and what he meant to his players, colleagues, the UCLA community and to the history and preservation of the Rose Bowl Stadium was larger than life,” Dedan Brozino, President of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, said. “He represented the integrity, sportsmanship and care for teaching that is emblematic of only the special coaches in the game – and this statue will continue to teach future visitors to the Stadium about his importance to the Bruins, to the Rose Bowl and to the overall game of college football.”

On behalf of the Rose Bowl Stadium, CEO and General Manager Jens Weiden thanked the donors who contributed for the statue’s construction and everyone who supported the project. 

“This statue will stand at America’s Stadium for generations to come so we can remember his impact and all that he represented for the Bruins and the game of college football,” he said.