Clarett resumes Heisman quest

If anyone still doubts the impact freshman running back Maurice Clarett has on the Ohio State offense, I'm not sure what it might take to convince you.
While Maurice Hall and Lydell Ross are certainly talented enough to be big-time college running backs (and the featured back on many teams) there's just something about Clarett that seems to spark the Buckeye offense.
Saturday against Indiana, Clarett didn't have a particularly jaw-dropping performance, at least statistically -- and when you think about, when is a 4.9-yard per carry average, over 100 yards and three touchdowns considered below average? -- but that's the monster that Clarett has created.
Every time he touches the ball, the crowd senses the chance for a highlight reel-type run.
Clarett has become, in a month's time, the most-talked about freshman in college football since Virginia Tech's Michael Vick in 1999. That year, Vick led the nation in passing efficiency and finished third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy.
Sitting out hurt
Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline.com said Clarett's chances for winning the award probably ended when he had to sit out last week's game against Cincinnati.
"He is below the 2,000-yard pace that would have made the true freshman a strong candidate," wrote Dodd.
I disagree with Dodd that Clarett's absence from the Cincinnati game ended his candidacy -- that game underscored his value to the offense. That hard-to-define spark was missing.
The Buckeyes have seven more regular season games before Heisman voting take place in early December, including contests with Penn State, Wisconsin and, of course, Michigan. If Clarett puts together performances against those teams similar to the ones he's already turned in, it will be awfully hard for anyone to leave him off the ballot.
Browns vs. Steelers
We won't predict an outcome on today's game (really now, do I have to specify which one?), although Browns fans probably wish I would. You may recall that I, ahem, missed on a prediction a few years ago in this particular series.
Suffice it to say, today's game should be as closely-contested and hard-fought as usual; both teams need a win -- the Steelers more so, but a Browns victory would give them an unusually large lead in the division for so early in the season.
Considering the Bengals play Tampa Bay and Baltimore is facing Denver on Monday night, Cleveland could come out of the weekend as the only team in the division with any victories.
Most observers expect Browns quarterback Tim Couch to come out throwing today, since that is the style of attack that beat the Steelers in each of their first two games. Plus, Couch attempted 50 passes last week in an overtime win against the Tennessee Titans.
One would assume Steelers coach Bill Cowher and his staff have made some adjustments in the pass defense since their last game two weeks ago.
One can also assume Butch Davis and Couch will, at the very least, start the game in a fast-break, passing mindset.
One major difference
There's one major difference between the Browns and the Steelers' first two opponents -- New England and Oakland both had strong enough rushing attacks that forced Pittsburgh to respect the run.
Cleveland, so far, has not shown the ability to run the ball effectively.
XRob Todor is sports editor of The Vindicator. Write to him at todor@vindy.com.