By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA - USF's Marvin Kloss has been announced as one of three finalists for the 2013 Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award presented by the Orange Bowl Committee.
Kloss, Florida State's Roberto Aguayo and Texas' Anthony Fera will be honored at the 22nd annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Awards Banquet on Dec. 10 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The winner will be announced live on ESPN at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 12 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Kloss, a redshirt junior from Naples, Fla., is USF football's first player to be named as a finalist for a major college football award. A panel of more than 700 coaches, sports information directors, media members and past finalists voted for the three Groza Award finalists.
“It's a great honor. I wouldn't be in this position without my teammates, the big guys blocking up front, the great snapper, David Berdetsky, and a great holder in Mattias Ciabatti,” Kloss said. “I'd also like to thank the coaches because without them I wouldn't have an opportunity to go for some of those longer field goals. I love that coach (Willie) Taggart has trust in me.”
Kloss went 11 weeks without missing a field goal while connecting on a school-record 13 straight attempts this season. He leads the nation with nine field goals of 40-plus yards and four from 50-plus yards, both USF records.
“Marvin 'Money' Kloss has been doing what he's been doing for this football team all year long. He has been special for us,” Taggart said.
Kloss is 14-for-18 on field goals attempts overall, including 4-of-6 from 50 yards or more, and 13-for-13 in PAT attempts. He's accounted for 39 percent of USF's scoring this season and scored all 21 of USF's offensive points in its 2-0 American conference start. Kloss, a two-time AAC Special Teams Player of the Week selection, is fifth in the AAC and 24th in the nation with an average of 1.4 field goals per game.
“I kind of treat every kick the same, whether I'm going out there for a last-second, game-winning field goal or a nice 25-yarder that you line up the middle,” Kloss said. “You handle it the same, and as long as you do that you don't put extra pressure on yourself. I'm not really too nervous when I'm out there for a 55-yarder because I just imagine kicking it the same way as an extra point.”
Kloss will be featured on the Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special that starts at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 on ESPNU.
The Home Depot College Football Awards Show takes place Dec. 12 at the Atlantic Dance Hall at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista. The 23rd annual awards show will be hosted by ESPN's Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Tom Rinaldi and Samantha Ponder starting at 7 p.m.
Along with the Lou Groza honor, awards being handed out at the Home Depot College Football Awards will be the Maxell Award (most outstanding player), the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (best QB), the Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year), the Biletnikoff Award (most outstanding wide receiver), the Ray Guy Award (most outstanding punter), the Outland Trophy (most outstanding interior lineman), the Jim Thorpe Award (most outstanding defensive back) and the Doak Walker Award (most outstanding running back).
