Calvin Neal came to Southern State College (now Southern Arkansas University) in 1955 as a freshman from Clarendon High School. He played high school football four years and was an All-District and All-State selection. Neal played basketball in junior high and competed three years in high school, making All-District. He participated in track and field three years and set a state Class B record in the high jump as a senior.

Neal went on to become an NAIA All-America honorable mention quarterback as a Mulerider in 1957 and a Third Team All-America selection in 1959. He missed the 1958 season when he was obligated to serve in the armed forces. Neal was a First Team All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) selection three times. While playing four years as a Mulerider quarterback, he also was a starter in basketball for the ‘Riders, playing four years, and was the ‘Rider team captain in 1960.

He majored in physical education at SAU and graduated with over a 3.0 grade point average. Neal was listed to Who’s Who Among College and University Students and was a member of Alpha Chi.

Neal had professional football tryouts with both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League after graduating from SAU in 1960.

After coaching at Hooks, (Tex.), High School from 1960-64, where he was first an assistant for two years and then head coach for two years, he was the head coach at Arkadelphia High School for two years from 1964-66.

Neal returned to his alma mater as an assistant football coach at SAU in 1966, first for the late Auburn Smith for three years, and then for Raymond (Rip) Powell for six years. He was a key member of the Mulerider staff that won the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) football championship in 1972, the first conference title the ‘Riders had won since 1952.

After retiring from coaching, he served SAU as assistant vice-president for academics to Dr. Lowell Logan from 1975 until 1981. He worked as the registrar from 1981-87, and completed his work at the university as certification officer for education from 1987 until 1996.