The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett said Tuesday his shoulder is healed but he still will not play Saturday in the Buckeyes' annual spring intrasquad game.

"It's all the coaches' and the doctors' decision right now," Clarett said. "I pretty much leave it in their hands."

Clarett, who led national champion Ohio State in rushing last year as a freshmen, suffered a dislocated shoulder midway through the 2002 season. He was hampered by it the rest of the year, although he was able to play in the Buckeyes' victory over Miami in the BCS national championship in the Fiesta Bowl.

Clarett, who had not met with reporters since that Jan. 3 game, declined to discuss how his life has changed since the Buckeyes finished No. 1.

Head coach Jim Tressel has closely monitored Clarett's progress this spring as he went through a number of strength tests.

Clarett said he didn't have a problem with Tressel's cautious approach.

"It's 100 percent," Clarett said, referring to his shoulder. "It's not that they said it wasn't 100 percent. It's just that the best decision right now is to leave me out of unnecessary contact."