By Bill Plott For The AHSAA
Coach Paul Benefield was one of 13 individuals inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame on Monday, March 13, 2023, at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center.
Coach Benefield grew up in Fyffe and was a member of the Red Devils’ football team coached by legendary coach Ronnie Haushalter, who was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. Haushalter’s philosophy was simple – block and tackle better than the other team. Benefield’s plan has been much the same. Haushalter compiled a 217-143-3 record in his 34-year career. Benefield’s current record is 337-55 in 31 seasons. Haushalter coached Fyffe his last 25 seasons, and Benefield just completed his 26th year as the Red Devils head football coach. Between the two, they have served 51 of the last 53 seasons since 1970 with a combined 454-153 record at Fyffe.
Benefield graduated from Fyffe High School in 1976 and Jacksonville State University in 1980, and he also earned a master’s degree from JSU. He is 292-44 in his tenure at Fyffe from 1997 until now. His .869 winning percentage at his alma mater ranks first in the AHSAA, and his 337 overall victories rank fourth all-time behind Terry Curtis of UMS-Wright, now retired Buddy Anderson of Vestavia Hills, and Danny Horn of Central-Clay County.
Even more amazing is his 139-9 record with the Red Devils over the last 12 seasons, which includes a 51-game winning streak. His teams are 155-13 (92.3%) in region play and 58-19 (75.2%) in playoff games and have scored 12,496 points while yielding just 3,578 in 336 games. That averages out to 37.2 points per game on offense and just 10.6 points allowed per game on defense.
Benefield began his coaching career at his alma mater as an assistant varsity coach and head junior high school coach in football. In 1987, he went to Plainview High School as assistant football coach. In five years, he helped lead Plainview to back-to-back 14-win seasons and runner-up finishes in the state playoffs. The school’s record was 46-8 during those five years.
In 1992, he accepted his first head coaching position at Sylvania High School, remaining there for five years. He compiled a record of 45-11 with four state playoff appearances, including back-to-back 10-0 regular seasons in 1994 and 1995.
In 1997, he returned to his alma mater, Fyffe, and the rest is history.
DeKalb County Superintendent Wayne Lyles said, “His meticulous attention to detail and leadership made it possible for the Fyffe High School football program to win five state championships over seven years (now six in eight years) at the 2A and 3A classifications. The Fyffe football program has always been strong, but Coach Benefield elevated it to a championship level program over the last decade through his leadership, vision, determination, and willingness to adapt.”
Fyffe Principal Tim W. McCollum praised Benefield’s commitment. “Coach Benefield’s dedication to our students is not just in developing players who can win football games. He strives to instill in our players a strong work ethic along with dedication and respect, so that they are not only successful on the football field, but in life beyond high school.”
