Idaho QB Blackman kicked off team

MOSCOW - Idaho quarterback Dominique Blackman and linebacker Conrad Scheidt have been kicked off the Vandals football team for violating team rules, and tight end Taylor Elmo has been suspended indefinitely for violating athletic department policy, the University of Idaho confirmed Sunday.

Blackman recently failed a third drug test, the Spokesman-Review reported Saturday night. Scheidt also failed a drug test and Elmo posted a message on his Twitter account that was critical of athletic director Rob Spear, who fired head coach Robb Akey last week.

Blackman, a junior, missed the season opener against Eastern Washington because of an undisclosed rules violation, then started the last seven games for Idaho. The left-handed Blackman was 167 of 265 for 1,620 yards and 9 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

Blackman originally signed with the University of Washington but never played there. He played as a freshman at Los Angeles Harbor College. He transferred to Old Dominion, where he redshirted, then transferred to Idaho where he sat out last season.

Scheidt, a senior, has missed the last five games after suffering a facial fracture. In three games this year, he had 23 tackles, including 2 1/2 tackles for loss.

Elmo, a junior has played in four games this season, with 2 catches for 11 yards.

Blackman's dismissal leaves Idaho with four quarterbacks on the roster - senior Logan Bushnell, who started the EWU game, junior Taylor Davis, who started three games last year, and a pair of freshmen who are currently redshirting, Chad Chalich from Coeur d'Alene High, and Austin DeCoud.

Bushnell has completed 14 of 30 passes this season, for 178 yards and no touchdowns, with two interceptions. Davis is 6 of 8 for 75 yards this season.

Idaho (1-7) and coming off a bye week, has four games left, starting Saturday at home vs. San Jose State.