The Cardinal Countdown: 67 Days Until Kickoff

#67 Thomas Nauert

Class: RS Junior

Ht/Wt: 6-3/307

Position: Offensive Line

Hometown: Louisville, KY (Product of DeSales High School)

Twitter: @TNauert67

Thoughts: Thomas is just the fourth Louisville kid we’ve covered on the roster so far, something Petrino and his staff are working hard on changing, when it makes sense of course. The Cards pulled in a couple Louisville kids last season and are targeting quite a few in 2019. Maybe I’m just getting old but it appears as if there is more D-1 talent in the area than we saw 20-25 years ago. Important to keep those guys home.

Nauert walked on for the Cards a few years ago after playing down in the trenches for DeSales in high school. Nauert was a solid player for the Colts and it looks as if he took advantage of a good opportunity to play for his hometown squad. Nauert hasn’t seen any live game action but has been getting practice reps for the Cards since his arrival.

Good luck to Nauert this season as he continues to battle it out with the other O-linemen on the field, in the weight room, and in the cafeteria. Let’s hope for poor Thomas’ sake that he can grab a roll or pick up a few crumbs after McNeil, Thomas, Becton, and Bateman walk through the line.

***

Game 9: Clemson Tigers

Key Player: Kelly Bryant, Quarterback, Senior

Thank goodness Deshaun Watson is gone. That guy beat us three straight years and kept us out of the ACC Championship in 2016. Who’s this Bryant kid replacing him, he’s never played in an environment like PJCS before..We’re finally gonna get these guys…

[narrator voice: They did not get these guys]

Bryant came into Louisville last year and picked up right where Watson left off. He dropped 316 yards passing on their head (season high) 26 yards rushing, and 3 total touchdowns in what one might call a beatdown of the Cards (A game that still rubs me the wrong way to this day). Bryant announced his arrival nationally that night and went on to play well the rest of the year, getting Clemson back to the College Football Playoff. I don’t know if its a whole “press a pressing team” situation or what, but the Cards D has struggled against mobile QBs for years now which is somewhat mind boggling considering they had the best one in the country to practice against every day for 3 years, something they need to improve upon as they will face more than a couple this season alone. There is some speculation that Bryant may not be the single caller in 2018 for Clemson as true freshman Trevor Lawrence is impressing folks in Death Valley, but until an official change is made Bryant will be that guy. A guy Louisville may need to keep a little better eye on this year than they did last.

Sweet Tweet:

Agreed. My two year old son is already counting backwards from 10 like a boss.

Countdown is in the blood I guess.