COLLEGE FOOTBALL Clarett begins quest to make first-team back

The freshman running back from Warren Harding is involved in the Buckeyes' spring drills, and is pursuing a starter's role.
By GARY HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- While his former classmates are preparing for the senior prom and graduation at Warren G. Harding High, Maurice Clarett begins his quest to make a bid for the starting running back position for Ohio State.
The Buckeyes opened spring practice on April 3, and Clarett, who graduated from Harding in January, is participating in the drills.
With the departure of Jonathan Wells and his 1,294 rushing yards in 2001, Clarett's early arrival to campus -- the remainder of the highly-touted 2002 recruiting class won't arrive until July 29 -- should put him right in the middle of what could be an all-out war to see who becomes the go-to guy at tailback.
"I wouldn't call it a war, but everybody is going to be competitive because everybody knows the position is open and everybody wants to play," said Clarett after a workout in shorts and helmets at the Woody Hayes Athletics Center.
"I'm sure they know I came in wanting to play," Clarett said. "So I can just tell everybody to strap up and let's get ready, it's only going to make the whole running back corps better."
Competition: In addition to Clarett, also giving the Buckeyes a stable of youthful running backs are Lydell Ross, Maurice Hall and JaJa Riley, all trying to inherit the much-coveted feature position.
Ross, who rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns against Indiana last fall, has the most game experience, with 120 carries for 419 yards and six touchdowns.
The speedy Hall has nine carries for 72 yards.
Ross and Hall were true freshmen last season while Riley, a California import, will be a red-shirt freshman this year.
Clarett, who enrolled at Ohio State in January, says he welcomes the competition and hopes to supplant any of the returning backs on the roster during the 13-game regular season. He said his background, being reared on the south side of Youngstown, has helped him prepare for the challenge.
"Sure, Youngstown is full of competition, just the competition of growing up and living. So I've been doing this my whole life," Clarett said. "Without struggle, there ain't no appreciation.
"So you might have to struggle sometimes and you might have to go through some things that you really don't want to go through, but that's life."
Bit of struggle: His first quarter at OSU was a bit of a struggle, but Coach Jim Tressel said that Ohio's reigning Mr. Football approached it in typical fashion and passed the test with flying colors.
"I told him just the other day, you finished the hardest quarter that you're ever going to have in college," Tressel said. "It's that first quarter academically, it's the first quarter socially, getting adjusted."
It was initially thought that Clarett might have had to miss at least a portion of spring ball because of what was discovered to be a pre-existing injury to his left thumb.
Recovering: Clarett, however, is almost fully recovered from reconstructive surgery for separated ligaments.
"At first, we didn't think Maurice Clarett was going to be able to practice much, but it's coming along well," Tressel said. "[The trainers] said as long as he keeps it casted with the plastic-type thing and taped up, then he can do whatever.
"It may affect his receiving a little bit, but I think that Maurice will get to do everything that he's capable of," Tressel said.
Although he has yet to be graciously accepted by all of his new teammates, Clarett, who was seen running wind sprints on his own after practice, said that he has no regrets about leaving Harding early to pursue his dream of playing college football.
"I'm glad I got it all out of the way now before the season came around," Clarett said. "Then I'd have to deal with the season, football, classroom work and the whole adjustment."
Although admittedly he's got a lot to learn before the fall, Clarett said he's working toward one main goal and is trying to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
"I want to start all 14 games and however many other games we play," he said. "I want to be the man every play. I want to help carry this team and eventually, by the time I'm done here, I want to win a national championship."