SportsLine wire reports
April 9, 1999

AUBURN, Ala. -- As winter turns to spring, certain things seem to pop up around Auburn.

The weather goes from cool to hot, the beautiful flowers seem in bloom everywhere around town and the days finally get longer.

However, if you are Auburn quarterback-left fielder Gabe Gross, the days got longer without the recent time change.

Without a doubt, Gabe Gross is a one-man study in time management. The freshman from Dothan tries to divide his time between baseball season and spring football practice as evenly as possible while still attending classes at Auburn.

Gross said the key to fitting all of his activities is time management.

"YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE SELF-DISCIPLINE. You've gotta know when to tell yourself to sit down and not waste time, but to get done what you have to get done," Gross said.

So far, Gross has worked his method of time management to perfection. Such a balancing act would seem hard to maintain at a school like Auburn, rich in baseball and football tradition, but Gross loves the challenge of the two seasons combined into a few weeks.

With baseball in its full season and college football in its "second season," you might think you could catch Gross leaning one way or the other as to his preference of sports.

But like a good baserunner, you cannot catch Gross leaning either way.

"Spring practice (football), I've made every one but one so far, and I'm going to do my dangdest not to miss another one," Gross said.

HOWEVER, QUICK TO GIVE EQUAL TIMES to both sports, Gross said, "We're in the hunt for the SEC championship and maybe the national championship in baseball and if that's within my power I won't miss one of those games either."

With so many on-field activities this spring, class might seem like the ball that causes the juggler to lose control, but Gross has a management method for that as well.

"I'm blessed this quarter with understanding professors," Gross said.

"I go to class everyday I'm available to be there. Now I'm taking 13 hours, and it's tough," Gross said.

Another tough task Gross faces is learning the new offensive system put in place by Coach Tommy Tuberville. As spring opened, Tuberville said the jobs of last year, including quarterback, are all open.

TUBERVILLE'S STATEMENT WAS NOT LOST on Gross.

"I need to be here learning this offense and getting together with the guys on the team," Gross said.

Gross admits he needs to be able to learn the offense, but he does not believe playing both sports will hinder or help his ability to keep up with football while playing baseball.

"Any time you miss practice you'll be a little behind, but I can come in and watch film and get caught up anytime I need to. As long as I'm at practices and in the film room, I'll be fine," Gross said.

Talk about making a difficult task sound easy, Gross makes being a two-sport star sound easy.

Gross seems totally unaffected by the time and effort both sports require during the spring. As for the two sports taking a toll on his performance in either sport, Gross said, "I don't think right now it has had any effect. I can't say for later on down the road as this thing wears on, but right now I feel good and I've gotta go home and make sure I get enough rest and eat right."

For now, rest is one thing Gabe Gross might be lacking. His card seems full enough with two sports, school and the rigors of student life.

Maybe in the near future, Gross could teach a time management course at Auburn, but right now it's spring, and Gabe Gross is in season.