Former Buckeye Maurice Clarett is now an aspiring Olympian

Maurice Clarett breaks away from Texas Tech defenders in a 2002 game at Ohio State. (Photo: Terry Gilliam, AP)

It's been a wild and often devastating decade for former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett, who went from a college superstar to NFL running back to convicted felon in a span of four years from 2003 to 2006.

After his release from prison in 2010 following a sentence for armed robbery and illegal gun possession, Clarett played for the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks for one season before returning to Columbus. Now 29, Clarett is hoping to continue his athletic career in the same town where he had his biggest on-field triumphs, albeit in a completely new sport.

Via RugbyMag.com:

Maurice Clarett has joined the Tiger Rugby Olympic Development Program in Columbus, Ohio. "He's committed to try to make Rio 2016," said Tiger Rugby director Paul Holmes. "That's Maurice's plan."

The 29-year-old former Ohio State and Denver Broncos running back met and worked out with Holmes Wednesday before agreeing to join the program. Holmes was impressed with Clarett's athleticism, despite his being out of football for years.

"He's ridiculous. That's all I can say," said Holmes of Clarett. "His footwork is phenomenal. He's nowhere near conditioned for rugby, but that will come…The stuff he's doing in the gym right now, he's just ridiculous."

Clarett always had otherworldly athleticism but the learning curve of a sport like rugby could prove difficult to pick up in such a short timeframe. Even if Clarett shows ability in the sport, especially in the quicker Olympic format of sevens, which favors faster, stronger guys as opposed to some of the lineman sized players that might be found in the traditional 15 person game, his dreams of making it to Rio are likely far fetched.

The first Olympic qualifying matches are likely to begin in 2014 and the USA Men's Eagles Sevens has a core group of players who've been training together for years. For Clarett to get a shot at breaking into that player pool, he'll have to show the kind of incredible flashes in his new sport that he did as a freshman running back at Ohio State.

Thanks to Larry Brown Sports for the heads up.