After Prison, Maurice Clarett Returns To Ohio State To Earn Degree

It was in 2003, one year after leading his school to a national championship, that Maurice Clarett was sent packing from Ohio State University after hiring an agent and losing a bid to enter the NFL early.

After that, things went downhill as he was arrested and sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. He was released early in April of this year and will now try to avoid being a distraction and return to Ohio State to finish his degree.

"This is a surreal feeling to be back at Ohio State in such a supportive environment. I have looked forward to being back in school, and I’m doing my best to fit in with other students. I don’t want to be a distraction or nuisance to the football team or to students on campus," Clarett said in a media statement Monday.

He doesn't want to be a distraction so he returns to the same school that landed him in this mess in the first place.

NBC 4 Sports in Columbus, OH has dug deep to produce this piece of journalistic gold:

NBC 4 Sports' Jerod Smalley said Clarett is ineligible and cannot play again for the Buckeyes.

Is that an exclusive report?