Maurice Clarett had the world in one hand and a football in the other while carrying Ohio State University to a 2002 National Championship.
Now serving a seven-and-a-half year prison sentence for aggravated robbery and concealed weapons charges, Clarett just wants to get back into the world.
He's trying to do that through Ohio University.
The former Buckeye tailback is enrolled in a distance-learning program at OU while he serves his sentence at the Toledo Correctional Institution, where he has been since 2006 for a holdup outside a Columbus area bar and a highway chase that ended with police finding loaded guns in his SUV months later.
The OU Registrar's Office confirmed Clarett enrolled in the university during Winter Quarter. According to his blog, Clarett is trying to earn a bachelor's degree in Geriatrics and Gerontology.
Clarett, who will serve at least three and a half years of his sentence, declared himself off-limits to the media through the prison's public information officer.
There's no need to talk to a reporter these days. I am my own newspaper. I am my own editor. I am my own censor
Clarett said in a Feb. 28 post on his blog. Please remember that I closed the deal in the big game. The next deal I plan to close is that regarding my college education. Trust and believe when I return to the Shoe I will leave with my degree.
There are about 1,000 prisoners currently enrolled in the College Program for the Incarcerated, said Ken Armstrong, director of Independent and Distance Learning.
The program allows incarcerated students to work toward a degree via mail correspondence with OU.
Armstrong said he was not familiar with Clarett or his situation.
He said the university offers associate degrees in arts or sciences. The school only offers a bachelor's degree in specialized studies. Inmates pay $136 per class hour.
They can enroll at anytime and can finish at different times Armstrong said. The standard enrollment period is eight months for an average course.
Armstrong added that most students don't get a degree in the program, but use the credit hours toward a degree after being released.
Since the program started in 1974, only about 200 to 300 degrees have been given out, Armstrong said.
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Matt O'Donnell
