Put in the coin and start the merry-go-round once again.

Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino announced Wednesday that Adam Barmann would start at quarterback Saturday against Colorado. The decision was forced because an injury Kerry Meier suffered against Baylor last week isn’t healing as quickly as originally thought.

“We tried to work him a little bit (Tuesday),” Mangino said of Meier. “He doesn’t feel good.”

On the last play of the third quarter against Baylor, Meier was hit near the KU sideline and landed on his right shoulder. He didn’t return, and though Mangino was optimistic Sunday that Meier might be ready, practices on Tuesday and Wednesday confirmed the freshman out of Pittsburg won’t be.

“He’s just not functional,” Mangino said.

Meier has no structural damage, but his shoulder still isn’t healthy enough to take on a four-quarter football game. Earlier this season, Meier missed three games because of a similar injury to the same shoulder after getting hit in the second half against Toledo. Barmann filled in admirably, but Kansas did go 1-2 with him under center, including close losses to Nebraska and Texas A&M.

A senior who’s started at least two games every season at KU, Barmann – who was not available for comment Wednesday – has thrown for 837 yards and three touchdowns this season, including a 405-yard effort in an overtime loss to Nebraska.

Meier certainly presents more of a running threat than Barmann does, though Barmann has half the interceptions in about the same number of pass attempts.

Still, a valuable dimension to KU’s offense – utilizing both Meier and tailback Jon Cornish as running threats – has been sliced in half with Meier’s injury. Cornish’s legs – and Barmann’s arm – will take center stage.

“We’re going to run the ball a little bit differently,” Cornish said. “Less read game and more straight-ahead stuff.”

Added Mangino: “We as coaches have to put together a good game plan that features the things that Adam does well. That’s probably the biggest thing.”

It’s another in a long line of injuries plaguing KU’s quarterbacks under Mangino the last five years. Kansas has used 10 quarterbacks and started eight in Mangino’s four-plus seasons.

Meier alone will nearly miss more action than he’s played in after this week.

The barely-believable stability has made Mangino manage the most pressure-packed position on the fly more often than any coach in America since he became KU’s coach in 2002. This week only adds to the list.

“Unfortunately,” Mangino said, “I’m starting to get a handle on it.”