Earnel Durden

In PAYING THE PRICE: A LIFE IN FOOTBALL...AND BEYOND, Earnel Durden traces his life from tumultuous post-war Los Angeles to his time as an assistant coach for the San Diego Chargers and beyond. From his college-career—and the injury that ended it all—to his lifelong association and friendship with coaching legend Tommy Prothro, Durden recounts his unlikely journey through the ranks of professional football.

Durden discusses his high school years in Los Angeles as an African American and rising football player; recruitment and experiences as a student, African American, and athlete at Oregon State University; his relationship with Tommy Prothro as a player and assistant coach; his various coaching experiences at Compton Junior College, Long Beach State University, UCLA, and for the Rams; and a brief description of his children's sports careers. Earnel Durden, attended OSU from 1955-1959 as a football player and a student studying physical education and science education. He played on the 1957 Rose Bowl team under Coach Tommy Prothro, and in his sophomore year, he was selected as "Joe College." Durden was among the first African American students to attend OSU.