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UAB offensive line coach Mike Bennefield.

(MARK ALMOND)

UAB offensive line coach Mike Bennefield resigned from his post with the Blazers program for personal reasons and a desire to spend more time with his family, he told AL.com.

He resigned on Wednesday.

Bennefield has been with UAB head coach Bill Clark since the Prattville High School days and followed him to both Jacksonville State and UAB. He said it was his design to resign.

"I enjoyed everything since I got in college coaching," Bennefield said. "I never had that plan to necessarily be in college, but at the same time, I don't regret it."

Bennefield stuck with the program for the few months it was shut down and coached the offensive line when UAB returned to spring practice this year.

"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. "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 is a long snapper for the Blazers.

Bennefield was a longtime high school coach at Prattville with Clark for most of last decade. He was the head coach at Slocomb High during the 2011 and 2012 seasons before Clark hired him at Jacksonville State. His wife, Amy, teaches at Piedmont near Jacksonville.

Bennefield said he plans to pursue high school coaching positions in that area.

Clark spoke very highly of Bennefield in a previous interview with AL.com this year.

"He does a great job with our offensive line," Clark said. "Our kids love him. That's been a hallmark of him, he can get so much out of those kids. It's a thankless job, but he's got such a great temperament with those guys."