Here is a statement from Idaho athletic director Rob Spear on the contract situation with football coach Robb Akey.

“The University of Idaho has reached an agreement in principle with Coach Robb Akey on a contract extension. The details remain under discussion at this time and a final proposed contract will go before the University Board of Regents for review and final approval.”

Robb Akey told the Tribune Thursday that he’s agreed in principle to a contract extension with Idaho after several months of negotiating. Here’s some of our story, which you can find on the front of today’s sports section.

After an extended period of negotiations, Idaho football coach Robb Akey said Thursday that he has agreed in principle to a contract extension with the university.

The agreement came about this week and must now be approved by the Idaho State Board of Education.

“We needed to come to an agreement on what the contract was going to be, to get it extended so that it would be a good thing so we can keep taking this thing forward,” Akey said. “And we got details worked out, and we came to an agreement this week that needs to go to have their approval.”

Talks of renegotiating Akey’s current contract began during the 2009 season as the Vandals started to see success on the field. UI athletic director Rob Spear said near the end of January that an offer was on the table, but it took more than a month from that point for the situation to finally come to a conclusion.

“I know that myself, I know that Rob and the president, the university — we’ve all been anxious. As have, I think our fans have been anxious to have it taken care of,” Akey said.

“And it’s just a matter of making sure that it got done the right way. And so that took a little more time, but at least it’s getting done the right way. And that’s what matters the most.”

The official terminology is that Kashif Watson is “indefinitely suspended.”  But it’s looking pretty definite.

Idaho coach Don Verlin said Tuesday the senior guard won’t make the trip to Reno, Nev., where the Vandals play Nevada at 6 p.m. Thursday in the first round of the Western Athletic Conference tournament.

So unless the Vandals run the table in Reno or somehow wrangle another berth in an obscure postseason tournament, it looks like Watson’s college career is done.  All because — we must assume, amid the official silence on the matter of why — he couldn’t resist critiquing his coach in the Twittersphere.

When Verlin announced the suspension Friday, he seemed to be leaving open the possibility that Watson could talk his way out of this punishment after the Vandals’ regular-season finale Saturday night against Hawaii.

You might notice, if you check out Watson’s Twitter page, that he is now “protecting his tweets” from public view. Apparently, this wasn’t apology enough.

Vandals guard Kashif Watson has been suspended indefinitely, apparently for comments he posted on Twitter. At least that would be the inference from one of his latest posts:

“Wow just gott in trouble for my Twitter comments!! Gotta watch wat u say may hurt peoples feelings.”

Watson, who banked home a 60-foot shot at the halftime buzzer of Idaho’s win over San Jose State on Thursday night, was hit with the suspension Friday “for conduct detrimental to the program,” a UI news release said.

“Kashif’s suspension is a matter that he must work through in order to be reinstated for practice and play,” coach Don Verlin said in the release. “The matter will be revisited prior to the WAC tournament next week.”

It isn’t yet known whether Watson, a senior guard, will participate in Senior Night festivities Saturday when the Vandals play Hawaii in a regular-season finale.

The Idaho Statesman has an article up that says Idaho coach Robb Akey is now looking for a tight ends coach. Quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith left for Montana, but the article says O-coordinator Steve Axman will take over those duties, and Akey will be looking for someone to coach his tight ends.