Fred Wyant
Encyclopedia
Frederick Mount "Fred" Wyant, Jr. (born April 26, 1934 in Weston
, West Virginia
) is a former American football
quarterback
who went on to serve as an American football official in the National Football League
(NFL) for 27 years with 19 of those years as a referee. He wore the uniform number 11 both as a quarterback and as an NFL official.
, baseball
and basketball
for Weston High School
in Weston, West Virginia and later attended West Virginia University
(WVU) from 1952 to 1955, where he became one of the greatest quarterbacks in Mountaineer
history. He was starting quarterback his freshman year at WVU. He ranks among the WVU career top ten in total offense (3,426), passing yardage (2,663), pass attempts (401), and touchdown passes (20). Wyant's record as a starter was 30-4 and led the Mountaineers to the 1954 Sugar Bowl
. In addition to playing football at WVU, Wyant participated in one successful season of baseball, batting a percetange of .406. During his career at WVU, Wyant was also a three time Academic All-America
n.
in the third round (36th overall pick) of the 1956 NFL Draft
by the Washington Redskins
. He played one season for the Redskins, becoming a member of the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL) the following year where he played one season.
and small college football official for three years, then as a major college football official for five years, before becoming an official in the NFL.
Wyant is notable for his perspective of the NFL as outlined in Rene A. Henry's book, "Offsides." Wyant was the referee in the 1981 AFC divisional playoff game
between Miami and San Diego, a game won by the Chargers, 41-38 in overtime. This game would become known in NFL lore as "The Epic in Miami
".
Wyant and his wife Dolores, reside in Morgantown, West Virginia
. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Weston, West Virginia
Weston is a city in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County, and home to the West Virginia Museum of American Glass.-History:...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
who went on to serve as an American football official in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) for 27 years with 19 of those years as a referee. He wore the uniform number 11 both as a quarterback and as an NFL official.
Early life
Wyant was a three-sport star in footballHigh school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
for Weston High School
Weston High School
Weston High School is the name of several public and independent secondary schools in the United States:* Weston High School in Weston, Connecticut* Weston High School in unincorporated Jackson Parish, Louisiana...
in Weston, West Virginia and later attended West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
(WVU) from 1952 to 1955, where he became one of the greatest quarterbacks in Mountaineer
West Virginia Mountaineers
The West Virginia Mountaineers are the athletic teams of West Virginia University. The school is a member of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Big East Conference. On July 1, 2012 the Mountaineers will switch conferences, moving from the Big East to the Big 12, becoming...
history. He was starting quarterback his freshman year at WVU. He ranks among the WVU career top ten in total offense (3,426), passing yardage (2,663), pass attempts (401), and touchdown passes (20). Wyant's record as a starter was 30-4 and led the Mountaineers to the 1954 Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl
The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...
. In addition to playing football at WVU, Wyant participated in one successful season of baseball, batting a percetange of .406. During his career at WVU, Wyant was also a three time Academic All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n.
Professional career
Wyant would later have a career in the NFL as he was draftedNFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in the third round (36th overall pick) of the 1956 NFL Draft
1956 NFL Draft
The 1956 National Football League Draft was held on November 29, 1955.-Player selections:-Round one:* HOF Member of the Professional Football Hall of Fame-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:...
by the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. He played one season for the Redskins, becoming a member of the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL) the following year where he played one season.
Years as an Official
Following his playing days, Wyant worked as a high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and small college football official for three years, then as a major college football official for five years, before becoming an official in the NFL.
Wyant is notable for his perspective of the NFL as outlined in Rene A. Henry's book, "Offsides." Wyant was the referee in the 1981 AFC divisional playoff game
NFL playoffs, 1981-82
The NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI. Both conference champions had losing records the previous season, the only time this has happened. All four of the AFC playoff games were between teams who had never faced each other in the postseason before...
between Miami and San Diego, a game won by the Chargers, 41-38 in overtime. This game would become known in NFL lore as "The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami is the name given to a National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl...
".
Wyant and his wife Dolores, reside in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
. They have three children and three grandchildren.
Books
- Offsides! - Fred Wyant's Provocative Look Inside the National Football League Rene A Henry, Xlibris, ISBN 0-7388-0973-X