Long before he befriended and shared a backfield with Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton, who was nicknamed “Sweetness,” Matt Suhey was known for his sweet tooth.

When the Nittany Lions played on the road in the late 1970s, Suhey ’80 Bus would hit up the hotel vending machine, usually in search of M&Ms or his favorite, Mallo Cups—if he didn’t have some with him already. “He was a candy-holic,” recalls former teammate Mike Guman ’80 Bus.

Suhey, who died Sept. 6 at his home in Deerfield, Ill., at age 68, was beloved by teammates and fans as both a running back for the Nittany Lions, where he was part of a 1976 recruiting class tabbed as one of the best in the nation, and then for the Bears, where he paved the way for many of Payton’s 16,676 career rushing yards and won a Super Bowl. He was also a member of arguably the most famous Penn State football family—the grandson of player and head coach Bob Higgins 1918 Lib, the son of lineman Steve Suhey ’50 H&HD, the brother of linebacker Paul ’79 Lib and running back Larry ’77 Bus, and the father of running back Joe ’11 H&HD.

Suhey amassed more than 3,000 scrimmage yards and 26 touchdowns at Penn State, helping the Lions to an undefeated regular season in 1978. He was a second-round selection in the 1980 NFL Draft and played for 10 seasons with the Bears, mostly as a blocking fullback but also compiling 2,946 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. His Bears beat Guman’s Los Angeles Rams in the 1986 NFC Championship Game before defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. “He was a great teammate but a better friend,” Guman says.

Suhey is survived by his wife, Donna ’80 Lib, sons Joe and Scott, and daughter Allison. His family placed Mallo Cups in each of the pews at his memorial service.