In Hoover, Ala., football is more than just a sport. To some students like Mark McCarty, Hoover High School’s senior defensive end number 52, it’s their whole life.

McCarty, who is one of the stars of MTV’s reality show “Two-A-Days,” even met his girlfriend Brittany, who is also a senior and on the show, while playing football.

The shaggy-haired charmer said that balancing his three-year relationship with Brittany is almos as important as football.

“We first met the summer going into ninth grade at a seven-on-seven football tournament,” McCarty recalled. “She was a cheerleader at her middle school and was trying out for the [high school] squad.”

But it was not love at first sight; McCarty said he believes in getting to know someone first.

“I think you can look at somebody without knowing anything about them and the only thing you can say is about their looks. You really have to get to know somebody to love them,” he said in a thick southern accent.

McCarty said that the couple’s relationship has not been affected by the success of the show.

“We just kind of keep grounded and make sure we stay together,” he said. He went on to joke that he was sure Brittany has more guys trying to win her over now that the show has become popular. Brittany, however, has already won McCarty’s heart by just being herself. “[She is] always concerned about me.[she] is not stuck up [and] always thinks about other people,” he said.
Although the football season is now over and McCarty can devote more time to Brittany, he said that it is more difficult to spend time together during the season.

“Back around football season it was tough because we had football six days out of the week. Saturday was the only day off so [Brittany] wanted to see me on Saturdays,” he said.

While McCarty is tough on the field, he is not afraid to show his a softer, romantic side once his helmet and uniform come off. “Last Valentine’s Day I put out rose petals from the driveway all the way up the stairs to the house then up the stairs [in the house] to her room. At the end in her room was a plate with chocolate covered strawberries and roses,” he said.

Though doing cute things for his girlfriend may compromise how tough his teammates think he is, McCarty doesn’t seem to care. “[Guys on the team] call me cheesy or whatever for doing stuff for her, or if she does stuff for me, but it doesn’t really bother me,” he said.

Throughout episodes of “Two-A-Days” McCarty and Brittany expressed their desire to attend the same college next year.