The UAB Blazers football program will return to the field for the 2017 season, but they currently have to deal with an unexpected vacancy on Bill Clark’s coaching staff.
According to reports, UAB line coach Mike Bennefield is set to resign from his position with the team to spend more time with his family.
Bennefield will be stepping down immediately, per al.com.
Bennefield first joined Clark’s staff back in 2014, before the program was disbanded. The two previously worked together at Jacksonville State. Despite that, Bennefield remained on Clark’s staff through the reinstatement of the program and through spring ball. However, Bennefield said that all of the twists and turns that he experienced at UAB allowed him to realize how much time he missed with his family.
“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.”
Bennefield’s son, Mitchell, remains on the UAB roster as a long-snapper.
As for Mike Bennefield, he will reportedly look to return to the high school level to finish out his coaching career closer to home.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
