Kickoff return earns Hill honors

College football: Eastern Washington redshirt freshman Shaquille Hill was named the Big Sky Conference special teams player of the week and the National kickoff returner of the week by College Football Performance Awards.

Hill ran back a kick 99 yards for a touchdown to spark Eastern to a 34-point first-half outburst in a 55-17 win over North Dakota on Saturday.

Hill is third in the FCS with a Big Sky-leading average of 37.33 yards per kickoff return.

Idaho’s Barone suspended

Men’s basketball: Idaho senior Kyle Barone has been suspended indefinitely after a violation of team rules, Vandals head coach Don Verlin said.

“My job is to educate student-athletes and to teach them how to conduct themselves on and off the court,” Verlin said. “We have challenged Kyle to become a first-class student and resident of Moscow. How he responds will determine his status on our basketball team.”

Barone, a three-year letterwinner, enters the 2012-13 season as the team’s active leader in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals and is a strong Western Athletic Conference preseason awards candidate.

He was second-team All-WAC last season.

Verlin said Barone’s status will be re-evaluated as the season progresses.

Idaho holds its first practice on Friday at 5 p.m. The Vandals play their first exhibition game on Oct. 27, against Seattle Pacific.

Beavers lose QB Mannion to injury

College football: Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion is out indefinitely after injuring his left knee during the No. 10 Beavers’ 19-6 victory over Washington State on Saturday.

Backup Cody Vaz will start for the undefeated Beavers when they play a nonconference game against BYU Saturday.

Associated Press