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'Nicked' up a bit Clarett has arthroscopic surgery, unlikely to play Sat.Posted: Tuesday September 17, 2002 1:16 PMUpdated: Wednesday September 18, 2002 1:00 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Freshman Maurice Clarett's run through Ohio State's record book was sidetracked Tuesday when he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee that may keep him out of the No. 6 Buckeyes' game Saturday at Cincinnati. Dr. Chris Kaeding, a team doctor, said it was "unlikely but not outside the realm of possibility" that Clarett could play in Saturday's game. Clarett was injured early in last weekend's 25-7 victory over Washington State. He finished with 230 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns -- the sixth best rushing total by an Ohio State back and the second best by a Buckeye freshman. Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel called the injury a "little bit of a meniscus tear" and said Clarett could return to practice as early as Wednesday. "We should have a good feel by Thursday," Tressel said. "I know he won't be practicing today. Tomorrow would be iffy but Thursday is a possibility and we would know by the end of Thursday's practice what his status would be for the ballgame." Clarett was on crutches after the operation, performed by Kaeding, an orthopedic specialist. Clarett was scheduled to rest his knee on Tuesday and then begin rehab on Wednesday.
"We anticipate a complete and very quick recovery," Kaeding said. He also said there was no evidence that Clarett had injured the knee previously. Asked if Clarett would be able to practice as early as Wednesday or Thursday, Kaeding said, "That would be unusual and very quick. Then again, Maurice is a very unusual and very quick individual." Clarett, a 6-foot, 230-pounder out of Warren's Harding High School, has rushed for 471 yards and scored six touchdowns in the Buckeyes' three victories. He is third in the nation with an average of 157 yards rushing a game and is on pace to become the first Ohio State back to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He opened the season with 175 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 45-21 victory over Texas Tech. If he is not able to play against the Bearcats, he would be replaced by a committee of tailbacks: sophomores Lydell Ross and Maurice Hall and redshirt freshman JaJa Riley. Tressel said the Buckeyes' game plan would not change regardless of who is at tailback. "I don't think we can change what we're trying to establish as to how we try to attack things," Tressel said. "Really, all of our tailbacks can do the multiple things that we're asking them to do." Even though knee surgery is never good, few members of the Ohio State team were worried that Clarett might not be the same. "I don't think it's that big of a deal," center Alex Stepanovich said. "He got hurt in the first half. As strong as he came out in the second half, it's hard to believe it's serious." Last week, Clarett gained 194 yards in the second half and scored both of his touchdowns as the Buckeyes overcame a 7-6 halftime deficit. Offensive tackle Ivan Douglas said he wasn't concerned about Clarett. "With an injury like that, you take care of it now and then it won't hurt you at the end of the season," he said. Clarett missed sizable chunks of the season during his freshman, sophomore and junior years in high school but played most of last season. His only nagging injury as a senior was to his thumb and he missed only one half of one game because of that. Tressel said that soon after Clarett came to the sideline with the injury, team trainers told him that the running back had been "nicked." Then Clarett sidled up next to Tressel on the sideline. "Thirty seconds later he was standing there and said, 'Hey, I don't know what they told you, but I'm fine,"' Tressel said with a laugh. Clarett played on Ohio State's last series and was held for no gain on his last two carries. He came within nine yards of tying two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin's school record for rushing yards (239) by a freshman. Clarett underwent tests over the weekend before he, the coaching staff and team doctors decided to go ahead with the surgery. Clarett did not attend Tressel's weekly news conference on Tuesday but Tressel said he had no doubt that Clarett was not overly depressed by the injury. "Maurice is a pretty straightforward guy in that he wants to
know what you need him to do," Tressel said. "The only thing I
know for sure is that they told him to meet at the Woody Hayes
Center at 6 this morning to go over and get the thing done and he
was sitting there waiting at a quarter to 6 when the trainer pulled
in. So he knows the score."
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Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel explains Maurice Clarett's injury and weighs the timeliness of his return. 
