COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former running back Maurice Clarett called it an honor to be back with Ohio State football as the Buckeyes prepare to face Notre Dame in the national title game on Jan. 20.
Clarett, via a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed what it means for him to be around the program this season after his off-the-field history altered his legacy with Ohio State.
“The whole experience has made me shed tears more than a few times,” Clarett wrote. “I’m passionate about Ohio. I have a lot of pride and happiness with being from Ohio. I love how these young guys are representing.”
Clarett was an instant star in Columbus, posting perhaps the most impressive freshman season in program history.
In 2002, he ran for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns while helping lead the Buckeyes to a national title. He also caught 12 passes for 104 yards and two scores.
However, he received an indefinite suspension as a sophomore for accepting impermissible benefits in violation of NCAA rules.
Clarett was selected by the Denver Broncos in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft but was released shortly after and never played in the league.
He later spent nearly four years in prison for robbery and weapons convictions after a 2006 arrest. Even after his release, his connection to Ohio State was tenuous.
That has changed in the past year as coach Ryan Day has welcomed Clarett back into the program.
“I love guys who go through difficult times, stay strong, defend who they love, and then come out the back end,” Day said in reference to Clarett after OSU’s win vs. Texas on Friday.
Clarett has been a frequent presence around games and practices. He has also started businesses and served as a motivational speaker.
Here’s the full post Clarett shared:
“One more road to cross…. Jan 20th There’s a lot of ways you can impact the game. There’s lots of ways to impact the coaches and players. If you see me… I’m constantly trying to provide and be a source of serious, positive, encouraging and focused energy for the team. You never know how anyone is feeling. Football has lots of emotions. Lots of ups, downs and your mind shifts constantly. Sometimes it’s good to have a stable voice to encourage you, give advice on how to view a set of circumstances, talk about the mentality and strategy it takes to overcome a situation or you need a voice to tell you….. “let’s go and (expletive) some (expletive) up” (my favorite). It’s an honor to be back around these coaches, players and fans again. The whole experience has made me shed tears more than a few times.
“I’m passionate about Ohio. I have a lot of pride and happiness with being from Ohio. I love how these young guys are representing. We have to go win another tough one! I’ll be right there…. Talking, yelling, jumping, pacing the locker room like I’m preparing to play and encouraging these guys. God has blessed me. I have a great life. I get to contribute to (Ohio State football), (UConn basketball) and (It Is What It Is) all while being myself in every environment. I hope this post encourages anyone who’s going through a challenging moment in their life. I’ve been through a lot of shit to get here. It might take time but you can get your life back. You can be resilient. It might take years but you can reach the top despite any and all challenges. I wouldn’t be able to operate, contribute and give value to anything I’m connected to had I not improved myself. Self improvement is the foundation of all improvement. Go Bucks!”