The Associated Press

COLUMBUS - Suspended Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett will miss at least three games because of the investigation into his filing of an exaggerated police report.

"It's pretty clear that we're looking at a healthy number of games," Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger said Thursday. "Multiple. And you can define multiple as more than two."

Although there is no timeline for a decision on Clarett's eligibility, the NCAA's reinstatement process likely will take several days to run its course - and that is if Ohio State is able to get a response to the association next week.

The defending national champion Buckeyes open the season Saturday against Washington. Maurice Hall, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound junior, will start for Clarett.

Geiger had originally said he hoped the school's response to the NCAA's allegations against Clarett could be ready to go this week. Now it will not reach the NCAA offices until after the holiday weekend.

"We've got too many things going on," Ohio State spokesman Steve Snapp said. "We've got the first game, with (coach Jim) Tressel involved in that. The first part of next week would be my guess."

The Buckeyes' host San Diego State next weekend and then play No. 16 North Carolina State on Sept. 14.

Asked if it was extremely unlikely for Clarett to be available for the game with North Carolina State, Geiger said, "Yes. That would be safe."

• Maurice Hall will start at tailback for Ohio State in place of Clarett Saturday night.

Hall, a 5-foot-10, 200-pound junior, got the nod over classmate Lydell Ross.

FLORIDA: For some reason, Gators coach Ron Zook doesn't want anyone to know who his starting quarterback will be Saturday.

The Gators open their season against San Jose State (1-0) - in what is essentially a warmup for the next week's meeting with No. 3 Miami. Among the many theories floating around town is that whoever plays better in the opener will get the call against Miami.

From the looks in practice, it's clear that either sophomore Ingle Martin or freshman Chris Leak will start and that both will play. Redshirt freshman Gavin Dickey might get a chance, too.

"We've decided but we're not really going to talk about it," Zook said. "We're going to keep it under the hat until we come out on Saturday."

Dickey considered transferring last week, but changed his mind. The fourth quarterback in the mix, Justin Midgett, has been playing with the scout team in practice this week and is a long shot to play

UNLV: Fifteen UNLV athletes, including 11 football players, will face suspensions this fall for making nearly $2,500 worth of unauthorized phone calls, school officials announced Thursday.

Athletic department spokesman Andy Grossman said NCAA rules require three of the football players to sit out tonight's opening game against Toledo. Coach John Robinson can decide when the other eight players will serve their suspensions, he said.

VANDERBILT: Bobby Johnson, who didn't win a Southeastern Conference game in his first season as coach at Vanderbilt, was given a one-year contract extension Thursday. Johnson's contract now runs through the 2007 season.

MARSHALL: Coach Bob Pruett signed a contract that will keep him at the school through the 2010 season, officials announced Thursday.