Former OSU grid star speaks at Vantage

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

More than a decade ago, Maurice Clarett was on top of the world. He had just broken the Ohio State Buckeyes’ freshman rushing record with 1,237 yards and 18 touchdowns and scored the winning touchdown in the Buckeyes’ victory over the University of Miami in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl, helping Ohio State claim its fifth national championship with a 14-0 record.

But poor decision-making led to Clarett’s dismissal from the Buckeye football team the very next season. After a short stint in the National Football League (he was released before the start of his first season), Clarett’s life continued to spiral downward.

His continuing bad decisions, including alcohol and drug abuse, finally landed the talented running back in prison after a conviction for armed robbery in 2006.

But Clarett, who spent nearly eight years in prison, then made the best decision of his life. The former running back turned his life around, taking college classes while in prison and overcoming his substance abuse problems to become a role model for today’s young people.

Clarett, still looking like the powerful running back he was 13 years ago, visited Vantage Career Center on Monday to talk about those bad choices he made, and to give advice to students about how to avoid the problems that he had to experience.

The former Buckeye running back, wearing a t-shirt that said “Show Me Your Friends, and I’ll Show You Your Future,” told Vantage students that hanging with the wrong crowd was part of why he ended up in prison, and exhorted students to make better choices in their lives than he did.

In his half-hour speech, Clarett used humor, as well as an introspective look at his own life to provide students with a compelling argument for making good choices.

Vantage students laughed often and clapped several times during Clarett’s speech, which he presented in Vantage’s commons area on Monday afternoon. Clarett also answered questions from students and staff members following his presentation.