Kansas Head Football Coach Mark Mangino awaits the beginning of the KU-Memphis game on Monday, April 7, 2008 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Out of football for a little more than nine months, former Kansas University head coach Mark Mangino apparently is back in the game.

KSTP Channel 5, an ABC affiliate in Minneapolis, is reporting that Mangino had been hired as a consultant to University of Minnesota football coach Tim Brewster.

Several Minnesota media outlets reported over the weekend that Mangino was on the Gophers’ sideline during their loss to USC last Saturday.

On Wednesday afternoon, University of Minnesota officials refuted the report in response to an email sent by the Journal-World late Tuesday night.

Mangino has talked in the past about his respect for Brewster and the two coaches, along with their wives, Mary Jane and Cathy, have been friends for some time.

“Minnesota has made huge strides in their second season under Tim Brewster,” Mangino said in December of 2008 shortly after accepting a bowl bid to play the Gophers in the Insight Bowl. “They are making outstanding progress and will be a formidable bowl opponent.”

The Jayhawks won the game, 42-21, but a little more than a year later, Mangino, 53, was out at KU, resigning under pressure last December after an investigation into his conduct toward players in the KU program.

Mangino spent eight seasons in charge of the KU football program. He compiled a 50-48 overall record, making him the first KU head coach to have a winning record since Jack Mitchell went 44-42-5 from 1958-66. He left two wins shy of the school’s all-time wins record, which was set by A.R. Kennedy, who finished 52-9-4 from 1904-10.

The Manginos left Lawrence in May for Naples, Fla., where they purchased a home.