"It still comes down to blocking and tackling."-CoachGross

Later Gross would lament philosophically while discussing his life’s calling, the head coach of a small town football team with a tradition so rich that winning was not only expected by the locals, but demanded. “There is no other job on earth quite like this one,” stated Gross, who has won two state championships in his career. “Yeah, but the last one was eight years ago,” pointed out the coach. “That is too long for these people. But you know what; it is also too long for me. We have the talent this year. We have the speed we have not had in the past. I owe it to my boys, to their parents and to this community to set the bar high, to demand that we always stride to accomplish the difficult. We set our goals high here. Football is a big part of this community, but in a positive way. That is what makes this such a special place. It is hard to put into words, but look at my actions, and that tells you what I am having a hard time expressing.  I came to McCook 14 years ago for my first head coaching job, thinking this would be a stop along the way, a launching pad to a bigger and better job. Now after 14 years, I can tell you, for Jeff Gross and his family, there is no better job. There is no better place to coach, no better place to teach, no better place to raise a family than McCook, NE.”