Kansas Investigating Mark Mangino

Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins has launched an investigation into allegations football coach Mark Mangino has been treating his players inappropriately.

Perkins held meetings with a number of players Monday night and he also met briefly with Mangino. Senior quarterback Todd Reesing told gathered reporters Tuesday afternoon that Perkins informed the players that an unbiased panel was being put together to conduct the investigation.

"I can confirm an internal review is under way," Perkins said in a quote released by the school Tuesday. "It involves a personnel matter, and as a result, is confidential. It would be inappropriate for me to provide further information right now."

The Kansas City Star cited sources as saying the players were told during the Monday night meeting that they could bring forward information in front of a formal panel.

The specific allegations remain unclear other than some unidentified players complained about how they were treated by the head coach.

"There have been certain things that have been said, I really don't want to focus on that right now," said Reesing, who along with the other Jayhawks are preparing to face No. 2 Texas this weekend in Austin. "It is what it is, it's happening but it has nothing to do with playing Texas so I don't see any relevance in talking about that."

The Jayhawks, who came into the season as one of the favorites in the Big 12 North, are on a five-game losing streak with two games remaining after starting out the season 5-0. Mangino seemed to point the finger directly at Perkins on Tuesday when he said this whole episode would be a non-issue were it not for his team's 5-5, 1-5 record.

"I'm not totally [caught off guard], not because of the issues," Mangino said Tuesday. "This is what comes when things aren't going well, you will find disgruntled people. It's a fact of any organization whether it's sports related, whether it's corporate or any profession you are in.

"The fact of the matter is we've lost some games in a row here. Nobody feels worse than I do about it. Nobody is trying harder to get it straightened out, but the fact of life is these types of things are going to come up when things aren't going good. That's life."

This is the second off-the-field distraction for the football team this season. Earlier in the season, the Jayhawks football and men's basketball teams were feuding and it spilled over into a couple of fights around campus.

But since then the focus has been on the Jayhawks sudden slide from grace on the football field. Kansas needs to win either this week at Texas or in the regular-season finale against Missouri to become bowl eligible.

There are now questions as to whether Mangino has lost his team, but both Mangino and Reesing said that isn't an issue.

"Not one bit," said Mangino, who is in his eighth season leading the Jayhawks. "I may have lost some of the people around here, but not my players."

A reporter asked Reesing about Mangino's reported anger issues. Reesing, who hasn't been on the same page with Mangino after being benched briefly, shrugged his shoulders at the question.

"I never knew he had anger issues," Reesing said. "He's always been a pretty nice guy to me, so I don't think that has anything to do with it."