Running onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge in England, a young Rhys Lloyd was experiencing his most memorable sports thrill.
After growing up as a Chelsea Football Club supporter in Dover, England, he was living what every English Premier League fan longs to do — play a game in your favorite team’s home stadium.
As a member of the Chelsea youth organization, Lloyd appeared to be on his way to becoming a soccer star in his native land. But a move to Minnesota when he was a teenager changed everything. Instead of pursuing a quest to become a British football star, Lloyd picked up a different game of football in his junior year of high school.
After two years of junior college, he’s now a standout kicker and punter for Minnesota and has been named a preseason candidate for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation’s best kicker.
Despite the challenges of learning a new game, Lloyd has adapted well and has excelled in his new sport. He has converted 3 of 5 field goals this season and converted 14 of 18 field goal attempts in 2003.
“It wasn’t that big of a transition to be honest,” the senior said. “I use the same sort of style that I would to kick a soccer ball. It was actually somewhat easy for me to adapt to.”
Lloyd still plays soccer occasionally in the offseason, but he has become more known for kicking clutch field goals than scoring goals. The preseason honorable mention All-American booted two game winning fields at the buzzer for the Golden Gophers last season, the biggest of which came in the team’s Sun Bowl victory over Oregon.
“He’s a cool customer,” said Minnesota coach Glen Mason. “At the Sun Bowl we’re driving at the end of the game, and we need a field goal to win it. There’s a pretty stiff breeze in our face, and I went to Rhys on the sideline and said, ‘What do you think Rhys? Can you make it from here?’ And he said, ‘How am I supposed to know coach?’ I said, ‘Well, what do you mean, Rhys?’ And he said, ‘Well, there is a pretty stiff wind in our face.’ Then he looked at me and kind of hit me on the shoulder and said, ‘Let’s give it a try. We don’t have a choice.’ Then he goes in there and makes the field goal.
“He’s really a soccer player, and he just approaches things a little bit differently than I’m used to.”
In addition to learning the position of place kicker, Lloyd has also taken on the punting duties since junior college, where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American.
“One of our guys (at Rochester Community and Technical College) went down, so I just kind of went out there and punted for a little bit,” he said. “I was decent at getting the ball off and kicking it a good distance. During the past two years, I’ve adapted somewhat of a different style than most punters.”
The 2003 honorable mention All-Big Ten selection has averaged 36.1 yards per punt this year and averaged 39.2 yards per punt last season.
Lloyd said he prefers both kicking and punting and said he experiences no added fatigue performing both duties.
“It is extra work, but it actually is a good thing because it keeps me more active in the game rather than sitting around waiting. I always have to be ready, which is nice so I always have to keep to my legs moving.”
Other than executing his normal kicking duties, Lloyd rushed for a pair of first downs on fake punts in Minnesota’s win against Toledo on September 4. One of his scampers totaled 21 yards down the sideline and led to the Golden Gophers’ first touchdown on their opening drive.
“To be honest I ran for my dear life as fast as I could to the sideline just so I didn’t get hit,” the punter said. “It was a good experience. Whatever helps the team, I guess.”
