COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said Saturday that a legal maneuver by Maurice Clarett will not affect the school's effort to have the suspended tailback reinstated.
Clarett has asked Franklin County Common Pleas Court to allow his attorneys to take sworn statements from university officials about a charge he lied to police about the value of items stolen from a car. The info will help determine if Clarett should file a lawsuit charging that his rights were violated, according to a complaint filed Thursday.
The university, by withholding information, subjected Clarett to prosecution and possibly deprived him of his property rights under the U.S. Constitution, the complaint said.
Geiger said he was not surprised by the complaint.
"I don't know that it's against the school. I think it's discovery in a trial situation. I think they're trying to build a defense and that's understandable. It's not alarming," he said before Ohio State's win against Bowling Green.
"It's just part of the system. They're building a defense for the misdemeanor charge that was filed by the city attorney. I don't see it as anything beyond that."
The city attorney and campus police accused Clarett of filing an exaggerated theft report with campus police in April after a car he was borrowing was broken into. The police report said cash and stereo equipment worth thousands was taken from the car, owned by a used car dealership.
Clarett pleaded innocent to a misdemeanor falsification charge, which has a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Clarett was suspended this season after Ohio State said he violated NCAA bylaws by receiving improper benefits and lying to investigators. Geiger said he hopes Clarett can return to the team eventually.
"My worry is that we can keep it to one year," he said of the suspension.
Geiger said he hopes Clarett begins classes at Ohio State this week when fall quarter starts.
"Hopefully he'll be in school on Wednesday and part of what we see is good attendance in class and attention to academics and progress to a degree," Geiger said.
PASSING RECORD: Matt Kohn set a Division II single-game record, passing for 645 yards to lead host Indianapolis over Michigan Tech 59-52 in overtime. Kohn was 39-for-61 with six touchdowns and zero interceptions to top the mark of 642 yards set by Glenville (W. Va.) State's Wilkie Perez in 1997.
STREAK SNAPPED: Minnesota-Morris snapped its Division II-record 46-game losing streak with a 61-28 win over Principia (Ill.). It was the Cougars' first victory since beating Mayville (N.D.) State 25-22 on Nov.14, 1998. Donnay Green rushed for a school-record 234 yards and three touchdowns to lead Morris.
WASHINGTON STATE: Starting running back Jonathan Smith was sidelined with a concussion in the first quarter against New Mexico, but was cleared to play after the half, finishing with 30 yards on 13 carries. Smith was starting in place of Jermaine Green, who missed practices with an undisclosed illness, but led the Cougars with 48 yards rushing as a reserve.
WISCONSIN: Lee Evans caught five passes for 80 yards and a TD and surpassed Al Toon's school mark for career receptions. He has 134 catches, three more than Toon (1982-84).
