Remembering John Melton!

John Melton passed away last night. He was 86. John was a former assistant coach under Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. John was one of the Wyoming coaches that stayed with Bob Devaney when he left the same school to come to Nebraska.

John Melton was seriously the funniest guy I have ever met. Except for my dad.

I met John Melton by way of my Holdrege friend, Rich Rehnberg. Coach Melton called him Dobber after a character in the show "Coach".

John Melton reminded me of Bob Devaney with his humor except he was even funnier in my opinion. He always told the joke that after NU went 6-4 two years in a row there was a petition to fire all the coaches. He said we were so bad he signed it. I heard that joke probably ten times but I laughed so hard because John Melton made it funnier each time he told it.

Coach Melton thought that only linebackers should be on the field. I think he meant it. He said the linebackers were the best athletes on the team. When he watched the game he watched the linebackers. He said that tells you all about what going on anyway. Your team was no better than your linebackers he said. Jerry Murtaugh was his favorite but he had a special feeling for all linebackers.

I once asked Coach Melton how they could let Johnny Rodgers play after he was charged with armed robbery at a gas station. He replied, "Oh, hell, the gun wasn't even loaded."  End of that discussion. I just laughed.

Melton and the coaches of that time were "old school" and did things differently. He would probably be frustrated with all the rules today. He enjoyed coaching a lot. It was always evident when you would talk to him. He loved the players and he loved to talk to friends. He loved Bob Devaney and all his fellow assistants.

John Melton was a storyteller about Nebraska football which is the favorite subject for most Nebraskans. He was the Master of Ceremonies for hundreds of events and he entertained the crowds with his humor.

John Melton was a New York Yankee fan. Huge fan! John was a very loyal person to those he knew. He would do anything for you even if it was just to make you laugh.

I believe it was in the fall of 2005 when "Dobber", Coach Melton, and Holdregites Jeff Cox and Steve Benjamin left for Green Bay, Wisconsin via Madison in a van. What a pleasure it was to spend time with Coach Melton. He was hilarious! He told story after story.

In Madison, Coach Barry Alvarez got us tickets to the Wisconsin-Northwestern game. It didn't take John long to have people recognizing him from his days of recruiting. After the game we went over to Barry Alvarez's house. Coach Melton coached Barry Alvarez when he was a player at NU and you could tell Barry admired him. There were more stories. More laughter.

In Green Bay, John again was recognized by many especially by some in a bar he used to hang out in when he was recruiting. He said we got Frank Patrick out of this town. John had not been in Green Bay for years but they still knew and admired him when we walked into that bar. I just couldn't believe it. 

The first night in Green Bay we stayed at some friends of John Melton and Rich and that night is the hardest I have ever laughed in my life. The next day we went to the Green Bay-Dallas game.

John Melton was a strong Catholic. It was very important to him.

John Melton was a very good coach but I would guess he was a great recruiter. He just had to be. You loved to be around him. He did recruit at lot of the Husker greats. He recruited David Humm. He recruited Jamie Williams. He was always upbeat and the life of the party.

I would guess John is laughing with Bob Devaney and Jim Ross and many, many friends right now. God Bless You and thank you!