Grambling, La. ? Grambling coach Doug Williams carried a No. 13 jersey into his news conference Tuesday, not hiding his interest in having Maurice Clarett transfer to the Division I-AA school.

“That’s what he would wear,” Williams joked. “Isn’t that what most of the questions will be about?”

The news conference was dominated by questions about Clarett, but Williams said no one at the school had spoken to the suspended running back from Ohio State.

“We could use him,” Williams said.

Clarett was charged Tuesday with lying about items stolen from his car, and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said the school is ready to cut ties with the sophomore.

If Clarett transferred to another Division I-A school, he would have to sit out one year in addition to any suspension or ineligibility handed down by the NCAA. He could transfer to a I-AA, II or III program and immediately be eligible to play after the possible penalties.

Hall of Famer Jim Brown, an adviser to Clarett’s family, said last weekend he would encourage Clarett to transfer to Grambling should he be released by Ohio State.