Mangino hasn’t named Swanson — or anyone else

Amid rumors Jason Swanson already had been selected, early Monday evening Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino said he had made no decision on a starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Colorado.

“There’s been no change as of right now in the quarterback status of this team,” Mangino said during the Big 12 coaches conference call Monday morning.

Mangino reiterated the statement through a team spokesperson later in the day. Because of inept performances from Brian Luke and Adam Barmann during Big 12 Conference play, naming a starter has been as challenging as a Rubik’s Cube, and Mangino may face another few days of tough decision-making.

Mangino said after KU’s 19-3 loss Saturday to Oklahoma that he’d like Luke to be the guy, but that it depended solely on how the senior performed. Luke didn’t play well against Oklahoma, passing for just 86 yards and throwing two interceptions that led directly to 10 points.

Swanson really is KU’s only remaining unknown quantity. The senior played sparingly last year, putting together good drives against Kansas State and Colorado, but never setting himself apart from any other quarterback option. Swanson has yet to play this year after what Mangino said was a nagging summer injury that set him back considerably.

Swanson practiced with the scout team for a while, but moved up to second team last week during preparation for Oklahoma. Freshman Kerry Meier, now ticketed for a red-shirt season, moved down to scout team.

“The quarterback position has been a position that’s been kind of a roller coaster here,” Mangino said Monday, the team’s day off after a rare Sunday practice.

“… Having said all that, I still think that we ought to be better than we are right now.”