The bad news for UAB is Bill Clark has lost a member of his coaching staff four months before the start of the 2016 season. The good news? Clark has more than a year to find a replacement as his resurrected Blazers won’t take to the field again until 2017.
Wednesday, Mike Bennefield confirmed to al.com, the offensive line coach revealed to Clark that he will be stepping down from his post, effective immediately. According to Bennefield, his decision was triggered by a desire to spend more time with his family.
A long-time high school coach, Bennefield joined Clark’s coaching staff at Jacksonville State in 2013, then followed the coach to UAB in 2014. The university disbanded the football program in December of that year, then resurrected it in June of last year.
Bennefield, whose son, Mitchell, is a long-snapper for UAB, remained on Clark’s staff throughout the disbanding and reinstatement, coaching the Blazers’ line this past spring.
“It made me think more and realize what I missed and how much family meant to me and how we did so many good things together,” Bennefield said of the brief shutdown last year. “I enjoyed everything at JSU and the year in 2014 with the whole staff, it was almost too good.
“It was real tough when they dropped the program and how things were going. Coach has got the foundation going the right way. As for me personally, I needed more time with the family. I missed it.”
According to Bennefield, he’ll seek out high school coaching jobs in the Jacksonville, Ala., area, where his wife is currently a teacher.