MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. ? Glen Mason, now in his seventh year as head football coach at Minnesota University, didn’t take calls on his Sunday radio show because of what he deemed “cheap shots” taken by callers.

Monday, university President Robert Bruninks said he would “encourage” Mason, a former Kansas University coach, to talk to the public, though he said he also understood the decision.

“I think what’s disturbing to the coach is that many of the callers had kind of a mean, sharp edge, and you might say that goes with the territory,” Bruninks said. “But … after the Michigan and Michigan State game, I think people really turned up the heat on him.”

Minnesota’s only two losses this season have been to Michigan and Michigan State.

Bruninks shot down the idea of requiring Mason to take calls.

“We don’t require people to do that sort of thing,” Bruninks said.

“(Mason) has the same First Amendment rights you have, so he can answer your question if he wishes, he can turn it down if he prefers another course. So it is up to him to decide what he wants to do but … you’ll find he’ll be there, he’ll be interacting a lot with the public and I think this is just a temporary thing.”