Mendenhalls getting used to the rugged, enjoyable ride

"Oh, my word. Are you kidding me? I could not even imagine the look I would get," she replied, laughing. "If I'm bugging Bronco, he'll kind of put his head down and give me this sigh, a release of air that says, 'You're adding to my pile.' I can't even imagine. I do know coaches' wives who say that to their husbands. I definitely know my place in that. No way."

While Holly used to have a casual interest in football, she has come to appreciate it, and even love it.

A couple of years ago, when Halloween fell on a Saturday during a bye week, the Mendenhalls went trick-or-treating. When they returned home, Bronco and the boys gathered on the floor to check out the candy. Holly, meanwhile, turned on the TV to watch football.

"I don't care about the X's and O's of BYU football. I'm not a wife that's over his shoulder saying, 'Do this and do that.' I don't know anything about that. But I've really learned to love the game of football. The reason it's become so much fun is we've got these friends that coach all over the country. And when you have a relationship and friends, you want to see how their team is doing. I love Thursday nights, to see who's playing and I love the weekends. Bronco comes home and he's so done. I just want to turn it on. Then he wants me to turn the volume down. He doesn't want to listen to what anybody says. It's also become fun because our boys are really getting into it. As they're learning, we're learning together. I'm really sad when football is over for the season. But that's not just BYU football."

Whether it's football or a Cowboy Ball, Holly and Bronco are fixed in the saddle, finding ways to enjoy the ride.

Email: jeffc@desnews.com; Twitter: AJeffreyCall