Play your hand

Buckeyes can't afford to wait on resolution of Clarett case

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- If Maurice Clarett was injured, quit the team or jumped to the Canadian Football League, Ohio State would be able to concentrate on defending its national title.

Instead, he remains a big distraction -- even though the Buckeyes can pretty much exclude him from their plans for the 2003 season.

"We'll have to let the days play out," Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said this week as he indicated Clarett may not return this season. "There are 100-some other players and coaches involved in this program and we're now in the midst of playing games. We are really anxious to get this thing behind us."

Clarett was suspended from the team for breaching the NCAA's rules of amateurism and misleading investigators looking into his off-the-field behavior.

The sophomore, who piled up Ohio State freshman records of 1,237 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns last year, remains on scholarship but cannot practice with the Buckeyes. His future with the team is uncertain.

No. 2 Ohio State, which beat Washington 28-9 in its opener while Clarett watched from the sidelines, finds itself unable to count the days until its top rusher returns and unable to formally say goodbye.

"If he's not allowed to come back, that wouldn't be good for our team," said tailback Maurice Hall, who started in Clarett's place against Washington. "We definitely are going to miss him and his attitude and his work ethic. He brings a lot to this team."

Ohio State plays its first five games at home, including Saturday against San Diego State. The extended home stand could help buy the Buckeyes some time as they try to shore up their running game.

Hall and Lydell Ross, Clarett's top two replacements, combined for 101 yards on 27 carries against Washington.

Clarett had three games a year ago in which he carried at least that many times. He averaged 170 yards in those games.

Hall is a quick but small tailback. Ross is bigger and more physical. Neither has the blend of speed and size possessed by Clarett, who showed a knack for shedding open-field tackles.

No one disputes that Clarett's absence -- for however long _ hurts the Buckeyes.

"He's not going to play football for Ohio State for the foreseeable future," Geiger said. "We don't know how long that's going to be. We are dealing with somebody who is immensely talented in the game of football. We're not helping our program at all in terms of this."

No number of games has been linked with Clarett's suspension. Ohio State officials had hoped to respond this week to "several pages" of NCAA allegations regarding Clarett. But Ohio State spokesman Steve Snapp wasn't sure when it would be finished.

Coach Jim Tressel said at his weekly news conference the suspension would be long.

Clarett was last year's freshman of the year in the Big Ten. He also scored the winning touchdown in Ohio State's dramatic 31-24 double-overtime Fiesta Bowl victory over Miami.

"We'll try to win games the best we can," tight end Ben Hartsock said. "We're not going to sit around and whine and cry and say, 'Oh, we don't have that spark back there.' Sure, he's a great player, but it does us no good. There's nothing we can do if he's not going to be back there.

"We've got to move ahead. We've got a national championship to defend."

Now, the Buckeyes are left to ponder their future without one of their marquee players.

"Everyone here knows that we're without a member of this family," Ross said. "We know whatever happens, happens. And that's how life goes. Everyone knows he's not here but everyone will also move forward."