Fyffe’s Paul Benefield Claims 300th Victory with win over Ider
Ider, AL – On a memorable Friday night in Northeast Alabama Fyffe Red Devils head football coach Paul Benefield reached a milestone that only one other coach in Alabama history has achieved. Fyffe’s dominant 46-0 victory over Ider (2-7, 1-6) marked Benefield’s 300th win at the school, placing him alongside legendary Vestavia Hills head coach Buddy Anderson as the only two coaches in Alabama high school football history to notch 300 victories at a single program.
Anderson, who lead Vestavia Hills to a 346-160 record from 1978 to 2020, spent his entire 43 year head coaching career at the suburban Birmingham program.
Since suffering a season-opening loss to Geraldine, the Red Devils have been unstoppable, securing eight consecutive victories including five shutouts while putting up an eye-popping 427 points. Benefield, who has been at the helm of his alma mater for 27 years, now boasts an overall record of 345 wins, with 300 coming at Fyffe and an additional 45 earned during his time at Sylvania. His remarkable coaching career includes six state championships, 21 region titles, 29 playoff appearances and six undefeated seasons over 32 years on the sidelines, solidifying his status as one of the most successful coaches in Alabama high school football history.
Click here to check out the full Alabama high school football scoreboard.
With this latest milestone, Benefield is now closing in on fourth place on the all-time wins list in the state. With 345 wins under his belt, he trails Terry Curtis of UMS-Wright (353 wins), Danny Horn of Central-Clay County (350 wins) and Buddy Anderson of Vestavia Hills (346 wins). As the Red Devils continue their dominance, Benefield’s legacy as one of Alabama’s most accomplished high school football coaches continues to grow.
Benefield and the Red Devils will close out the regular season on the road at Class 7A, Region 6 Champion Sylvania (8-1, 7-0) – the program that Benefield lead to a 45-11 record from 1992-1996. Fyffe, the Class 2A, Region 7 champion, will host the West End Patriots (5-4) November 10th in the first round of the postseason.
