Report: Clarett suspension will be six games

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- Maurice Clarett's "multi-game suspension" apparently will keep the star running back sidelined until the middle of October.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Saturday that Clarett will miss six games for violating NCAA rules and giving false statements to campus police.

Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said Friday that Clarett has been cleared to resume practice but faces a "multiple-game suspension" and is not eligible to play in any games at this time. Geiger would not disclose the exact length of the penalty.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, citing an unidentified source at Ohio State, said Clarett would be penalized three games for violating NCAA rules and three for giving false statements to campus police after. Clarett admitted to overstating the value of items that had been stolen out of a borrowed vehicle last spring.

Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards as a true freshman despite missing multiple games with a shoulder injury and helped the Buckeyes win their first national title since 1968.

The Buckeyes open their season on August 30 against Washington. If the suspension were for six games, Clarett would miss games against North Carolina State on September 13 and a key Big Ten Conference game at Wisconsin on October 11.

Ohio State's seventh game is October 18 against Iowa.

The suspension is only for non-academic matters. A university panel also is probing charges of academic fraud involving Clarett.

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