2024 Team Previews
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Fyffe Red Devils |
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Head Coach: Paul Benefield (twenty-eighth season) Career Record: 32 seasons, (351-56) At Fyffe: 27 seasons, (306-45) Stadium: Paul Benefield Stadium 2024 Enrollment: 217 Rank: 264th in the AHSAA, 51st in Class 3A |
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Overall Record: 594-309-13 (66.0%) Last 25 years: 290-39 (88.0%) (Rank: 1st in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 3A) Since 2010: 182-12 (93.8%) (Rank: 1st in the AHSAA, 1st in Class 3A) Last Playoff Appearance: 2023 Last Region Championship: 2023 Last Winning Season: 2023 Last Losing Season: 1996 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class: 2A
Region: 7
Record: 14-1 Region Record: 7-0, (first) Playoff Record: Won the Class 2A State Championship by defeating Reeltown at the Alabama Super Seven 43-24 in Birmingham. Final ASWA Poll: 2nd Scoring: 691 (46.1) Defense: 184 (12.3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Class: 3A
Region: 8
Strength of Schedule: 56-51 (52%) (138th in the AHSAA, 19th in Class 3A) Region Strength: 35-43 (45%) Non-Region Strength: 21-8 (72%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2024 Preview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fyffe completed the 2023 season with a 14-1 record. Last year Fyffe captured the region seven title and a number one seed in the Class 2A playoffs. They finished region play with a 7-0 record. The Red Devils reeled off five straight playoff wins to claim the Class 2A State Championship by defeating Reeltown at the Alabama Super Seven 43-24 in Birmingham. The high-scoring Fyffe offense ranked 8th in the AHSAA. They averaged 46.1 points a game. The Red Devils defense dominated most opponents as they ranked 21st in the AHSAA. The defense gave up just 12.3 points a game. Over the past two seasons the Red Devils have Finished 29-1 and will be looking to continue that winning tradition. As one of the best football programs in the state since 2010, Fyffe has gone a combined 182-12. Their 93.8% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 3A over the past fourteen seasons. Over the past 25 seasons, Fyffe has finished a combined 290-39. Their 88.0% winning percentage ranks 1st in Class 3A and 1st in the AHSAA. The Red Devils have been successful on the football field with twenty-five winning seasons during this time. Their last losing season was 1996. Head Coach: The Red Devils are led by head coach Paul Benefield who is entering his twenty-eighth season at the helm. He has compiled a record of 306-45 over the past twenty-seven seasons at Fyffe. Under his direction the Red Devils have qualified for the playoffs a total of twenty-six times. They have won nineteen region crowns with Coach Benefield. Coach Benefield has won seven state championships at Fyffe, the last coming in 2023. His 351 wins rank 4th among active coaches in the AHSAA. Over the course of his career, Coach Benefield's teams have qualified for the playoffs a total of thirty times and won twenty-one region championships. He has a 68-23 record in the playoffs during his career. The playoff victories rank with the best among active coaches. Season Outlook: The Fyffe Red Devils will play in Class 3A region eight during the 2024 season. The Red Devils move up in classification to Class 3A. They may find the going slightly tougher with the move. The Red Devils enter the 2024 season riding a 14 game winning streak. They have also won 9 consecutive regular season games. Fyffe has won 18 consecutive region games. They have won 8 straight games on their home turf at Paul Benefield Stadium. Out of the starting lineup from the 2A Super 7 Game from last year the Red Devils lose a guard and a linebacker. Everyone else will be returning to the lineup for 2024. Logan Anderson, one of the best and toughest players in any classification, will lead the way. The question this year is can Fyffe win a championship in Class 3A? Absolutely they can. Actually they won one in 2020 as a 3A school. Will they win it all in 2024? The prospects look pretty good with their starting lineup. The Red Devils open the 2024 season with a streak of 27 consecutive winning seasons on the line. That streak appears to be safe at least for the upcoming football season. Coach Benefield is tied for second place on the all-time list of coaches with the most wins with Steve Smith at Westbrook Christian with 351 victories. ''Senior Logan Ashley will be expected to help fill in the hole at tight-end on the offense. Senior Brody Badgett will look to help bolster the offensive line.'' ''Fyffe is returning 19 of 22 starters from last years championship team, including the 2A Lineman of the Year in Senior Tucker Wilks and Senior 4-Star running-back/linebacker Logan Anderson who has garnered national attention at linebacker this offseason. After graduating 6 seniors from last years team, Fyffe will have 11 on the 2024 squad, a number which is expected to be a quarter of the roster as they make the move back to 3A. With statistically almost all of the yardage and point getters back, Fyffe looks to be a strong contender for the 3A State Championship in 2024.'' While most teams rebuild during the off season, Fyffe has been a consistent winner the past few years and will simply reload this season. The Red Devils enter the season with expectations of not only a region crown but will be contending for a trip to the state championship game. They are considered one the favorites in region eight and could very well be representing the North in the Class 3A title game. The Red Devils have succeeded in reaching the playoffs every year since 2000 and this year should be no exception. Players to Watch in 2024: RB Logan Anderson will return after rushing for 2,864 yards last season. On defense he added 34 tackles, including five for a loss. QB Blake Dobbins will also be back after completing 19-of-33 passes for 926 yards and 16 TDs. Junior OL/DL Tucker Wilks is a two-time finalist for lineman of the year and will anchor the line of scrimmage in 2024. Returning Starters: OFFENSE: LT- Noah Guinn, LG- Jacob Butts, C- Jay Carter Lyles, RT- Tucker Wilks, WB- Everett DeBoard, HB- Simon Hicks, QB- Blake Dobbins, RB- Logan Anderson, RB- Ryder Gipson DEFENSE: DE- Tucker Wilks, NG- Anthony Mil, DE- Weston Evans, OLB- Ryder Gipson, MLB- Simon Hicks, OLB- Logan Anderson, DB- Bryce Totherow, DB- Everett DeBoard, DB- Maddox Doss, DB- Blake Dobbins Season Opener: The Red Devils open the 2024 season on the road against non-region opponent Pisgah on Thursday, August 29 at Sam Kenimer Stadium. Last year the Pisgah Eagles finished with an overall record of 12-2 and in second place in Class 2A region seven. The Eagles lost in the semi-finals round of the Class 2A playoffs to Fyffe by a score of 32-14. Fyffe and Pisgah have met a total of 35 times on the football field. The Red Devils have a 20-14-1 record against the Eagles. They last met in 2023 with Fyffe winning by a score of 32-14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Great Moments in Alabama High School Football History
In 1925 Langdale tied a record by defeating Milltown 125-0. Hamilton had set the record by thrashing Fayette 125-0 in 1915.
In 1925 Langdale tied a record by defeating Milltown 125-0. Hamilton had set the record by thrashing Fayette 125-0 in 1915.