Wayne Meylan

Who was Wayne Meylan?

Wayne Meylan was born in Bay City, Michigan on March 2, 1946. Before playing American football for the University of Nebraska, he attended Handy High School in Bay City.

Meylan played middle guard on defense for Nebraska three years, and the team had a 25-7 record in that time. He was a consensus All-American in 1966 and 1967. In 1966, he blocked three punts and recovered two for touchdowns. Meylan set Nebraska records for most tackles in a season and most tackles in a career. He played three years in the National Football League 1968-1970, then returned to the university to complete work on his degree. He joined Engineered Systems, a company doing underground work for TV systems and phone companies. He then started Meylan Enterprises in Omaha. This company worked on contracts in 18 states. His hobby was flying World War II fighter planes in airshows.

On June 26, 1987, Wayne Meylan, age 41, was killed when his plane crashed in Ludington, Michigan. The National Transportation Safety Board ruled that the probable cause of the accident was wind shear. Meylan was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1991.