economy and markets | January 18, 2026

Robert Speedy Obituary, The Former University Of Miami Running Dies From Cancer

Godspeed, Robert “Speedy” Neal. After a protracted battle with cancer, the former University of Miami running back passed away on Sunday.

Neal, a Key West, Florida, native, was practically revered as a mythical Paul Bunyan figure there. Neal had a rare mix of height and speed on the Key West High football team, standing 6’2″ and 240 pounds with 4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash. Neal then played running back for the University of Miami from 1980 to 1983.

Read also:Actor Saint Von Colucci Cause of Death, Age, Biography, Facts

The Speedy legend Neal began on August 26, 1962, the day of his birth. His mother gave him the moniker “Speedy” because she gave birth to him after only a brief labor, not because he could run quickly.

neighborhood. He was skilled in all sports and could play them all. Since the days of George Mira and Boog Powell, he quickly rose to the top of the Key West athletic hierarchy. He was able to easily hit a baseball over the fence at the neighborhood high school field when he was young. Nevertheless, he was a man among boys on the football field. On the field, Neal was consistently the biggest and quickest player. Even more so than the majority of his own offensive lineman, he was enormous. Neal set the pace for Florida as a whole in rushing in 1979. His lore started to become well-known throughout the state and even on a national level. He was profiled in the Faces in the Crowd section of Sports Illustrated. Recruiters and college coaches flocked to the southernmost point.

Neal joined Keith Griffin from Columbus, Ohio, and Freddie Miles from Miami Springs as a trio of gifted running backs that joined UM in 1980. The Key West phenomenon was subject to enormous expectations. He was meant to serve as the linchpin of the group of students that head coach Howard Schnellenberger anticipated would one day take the Canes to their first national championship. Neal never developed into a dominant player in college, despite showing flashes of greatness. Because of his weak work ethic and physical condition, he frequently depended on his inherent athletic ability to get by and frequently sustained injuries. He frequently gained more than 260 pounds.

The Canes had achieved Schnellenberger’s impossibly unattainable aim of winning the national championship by his senior year in 1983.

Neal joined Keith Griffin from Columbus, Ohio, and Freddie Miles from Miami Springs as a trio of gifted running backs that joined UM in 1980. The Key West phenomenon was subject to enormous expectations. He was meant to serve as the linchpin of the group of students that head coach Howard Schnellenberger anticipated would one day take the Canes to their first national championship. Neal never developed into a dominant player in college, despite showing flashes of greatness. Because of his weak work ethic and physical condition, he frequently depended on his inherent athletic ability to get by and frequently sustained injuries. He frequently gained more than 260 pounds.

The Canes had achieved Schnellenberger’s impossibly unattainable aim of winning the national championship by his senior year in 1983.

Thanks for reading from Ghsplash a news publishing website from Ghana. Share this article, For spelling mistakes and other related issues contact us