LSU senior running back Jacob Hester has laced up his cleats countless times in preparation for a football game. But the knots he has fastened before a game have nowhere near matched the knot he tied this past summer, when he and his wife Katie Tilley were married. The couple exchanged vows July 28 at Centenary Brown’s Memorial Chapel in Shreveport, La., the city where they met during high school. Shreveport is not the only city the Hesters hold dear. Little Rock, Ark., was the venue of Jacob’s proposal. Oddly enough, the couple has the University of Arkansas to thank for that. The proposal came shortly after No. 9 LSU’s 31-26 victory against No. 5 Arkansas on Nov. 24, 2006. Katie said the large turnout from Hester’s family did not seem unusual because of the support he had received in games past. When Jacob met Katie after the game, he pulled a stuffed animal tiger clad in an LSU jersey out of his bag and told Katie the animal was thrown to him after the game. On the back of the tiger’s jersey was a gold sticker with the writing-“Katie, will you marry me?” Hester’s cunning ploy fooled Katie, who had thought this was just another game day. “No one’s ever been able to surprise me,” Katie said. “I’ve always played detective, but I had no idea about the proposal after the game.” Being married to Hester for almost two months has enabled Katie to pick up on more than just the running back’s slyness. Katie, a student at LSU, said she decided to take a semester off partly because of another trait of Hester’s. “He’s a messy boy, so I’ve got to be full-time [at home],” Katie said. “You’re talking about someone who goes through about six different pairs of clothes every day, and he eats non-stop, so I’m pretty much cooking and cleaning.” Katie doesn’t do all of the cooking, though. Hester likes to cook, but during football season his dishes are not exactly gourmet. Katie said when her husband is first to arrive home before supper, dinner is usually hot pockets or pizza rolls. Katie has also adjusted to one of her husband’s late-night idiosyncrasies. “He has an obsession with cereal,” Katie said. “He has to have a big bowl of cereal every night before he goes to bed. So there are about eight bowls in the sink every day.” Maybe there’s something in the Honey Smacks or Reese’s Puffs – Hester’s favorites – that pushes the running back past defenders. In four games this season, Hester leads all LSU running backs with 294 yards on 59 carries. But the workhorse running back does not limit himself to offensive duty. Hester has seen action this season with the punt return, kickoff return and field goal units. Of the 217 snaps Hester has logged, 68 have come on special teams. LSU starting center Brett Helms said Hester has been willing to consistently help the Tigers in any capacity. “He does everything you ask of him, [whether it be] fullback, tailback [or] special teams,” Helms said. “He’s a good team player.” Katie said the tailback’s self-sacrifice on the field has translated into his selflessness in their marriage. Hester said being married has helped him embrace unselfishness. “When you get married, you really have to mature,” Hester said. “You’re not just doing things for yourself. You’re doing stuff for you and your wife. It’s helped me grow up in every way.” Hester is not the only one who has sacrificed for the marriage. Katie has also adjusted by working outside of school to put food on the table. Hester said his work on the football field is more serious because he is now caring for someone besides himself. “I know that I’ve got to come out here and work hard, so maybe one day I can support her like I want to,” Hester said. Hester said his new role has transformed him into a better man on and off the field. “Every decision you have to make for two people,” Hester said. “So it’s helped me out in every way.”
—-Contact Jonathan Finney at [email protected]