The 2014 college football season is well underway. Particularly in the SEC, the rankings have continuously fluctuated, and several teams have proved themselves worthy amongst the elite. This time of year is strenuous on every team, but luckily the coaches of the SEC have one thing to keep them grounded: their wives.
ESPN recently did a special on the wives of the SEC titled “The Better Half: SEC Wives.” They highlighted how these women give up so much than many would not and how they support their husbands through it all. These wives love the players like they were their own children and have Saturday rituals that are just as vital as the coaches. Without their wives, the coaches of the SEC would be lost and definitely a lot less spirited.
“She’s the assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, and all-around valued opinion,” says Les Miles about his wife, Kathy.
These women do so much more than watch their husbands coach on Saturdays. You can often find Dan Mullen’s wife, Megan, at practice with her dog and kids giving the players an extra boost of encouragement to push them through the week. According to the video, Mark Richt’s wife, Katharyn, spends her time before the games on Saturday mixing Gatorade for the team, while making sure it’s the perfect consistency. These wives support their husbands through the wins and the losses, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Many of these women have been living their whole adult lives this way, such as Terry Saban, Jerri Spurrier, or Kathy Miles. Others, like Bret Bielema’s wife, Jen, have recently joined the club. Bret and Jen met in Las Vegas while playing Blackjack and have been married since 2012. In contrast, Jerri Spurrier went with her husband, Steve, to receive his Heisman Trophy in 1966.
Although each of these wives live similar lifestyles in supporting their husbands, they each have their own special routine when it comes to game day. As previously mentioned, Katharyn Richt spends her Saturdays on the field making Gatorade for the team, while most of the other wives prefer to sit somewhere inside the stadium and support their husbands. Understandably, these women go through very high-stress situations every weekend because their husbands are under so much pressure and scrutiny.
However, the support for their husbands doesn’t stop once all the time has run out on the clock.
“We go to Waffle House as our after-a-win tradition,” says Kristi Malzahn about she and her husband, Gus.
The pair can be seen in a local Waffle House in Auburn, Ala. on any given Saturday if their Tigers when. The restaurant now even has a “Gus Bus Special,” featuring a steak omelet. Being a wife to a head coach in the SEC is special. There is no better or more competitive conference in all of college football. These women are commendable for putting their own lives on hold in order to support their husbands’ endeavors no matter the outcome of the season.
Terry Saban puts it best when she says, “Man, there’s just nothing like the SEC. So, if you’re going to be a coach’s wife, why not be one in the SEC?”
