Ohio State Cornerback Dominic Clarke Cited For OVI

Dominic Clarke, who will be a redshirt junior next season, is facing legal trouble stemming from three offenses, including a citation for operating a vehicle under the influence. Clarke will be arraigned Thursday morning in Franklin County Municipal Court.

The latest violation, the OVI, occurred on January 7th after police pulled Clarke over for a stop-sign violation. Clarke was also charged with speeding in a 20-MPH zone. These three charges are not Clarke's first. In October, Clarke pled guilty to a disorderly conduct charge after officers caught him shooting a BB-gun on the Ohio State campus. Ohio State suspended Clarke for one game in addition to his court-ordered penalties.

This most recent violation is particularly horrible timing by Clarke with a new head coach judging his actions. Urban Meyer struggled to keep his players in good standing with the law at Florida, and he could view this as an early opportunity to send a message to his team. Meyer also needs space for more recruits in the 2012 class, and Clarke's legal troubles could be convenient justification for removing him from the program.

Clarke began the season as a starter in Travis Howard's absence, but he saw little playing time as the season progressed. To be blunt, his talents are not good enough to protect him from early termination. I would not be surprised if Meyer opts to kick Clarke out of the program following the legal verdict.