WHITEWATER, Wis. — Wisconsin-Whitewater head coach Lance Leipold has apologized to the student newspaper for barring its reporters from covering the program after a scathing editorial.

An editorial in the Royal Purple was titled "Spoiled athletes need reality check" and discussed a campus incident in which a police officer was called to the weight room after three football players refused to provide student IDs to work out.

Leipold used multiple expletives and told an editor, "It's going to be (tough) to try to cover football next season."

He also said anyone affiliated with the student-run newspaper would not be allowed to call anyone with the football team without approval and that student reporters questions would go unanswered in the 2009 season, according to the Royal Purple story.

"The door is shut," Leipold said, according to the paper. "Go cover soccer ... I'm sure that will be fun."

Leipold also sent an e-mail Wednesday afternoon to Chancellor Richard Telfer, athletic director Paul Plinske and athletic spokesman Tom Fick discussing his decision.

"If this is the type of journalism our paper is going to have. They can cover someone else — we will get along just fine," Leipold wrote.

Leipold later apologized for his comments and use of inappropriate language and said that the Whitewater campus community and alumni deserve better from the coach of a nationally recognized football program.

Leipold did not immediately return a message left Thursday by The Associated Press.

Whitewater has made the Division III championship game four consecutive years, winning in 2007 and losing three other times to powerhouse Mount Union.

Leipold is a two-time national coach of the year and is well-known for his willingness to talk to reporters who call his office since taking over for longtime coach Bob Berezowitz, who coached the school for 22 years through the 2006 title game.

Plinske called Leipold's behavior unacceptable.

"It is an instance where an excellent coach allowed his passion for the program and his team to get the best of him," Plinske said. "Coach Leipold knows his behavior was unacceptable."

Telfer said he believes that the tense relationship between the football team and the paper can be repaired.

"Lance Leipold admitted that he behaved poorly and he has apologized. It is my hope that we learn from this situation and move forward," Telfer said. "Coach Leipold understands that the program needs the support of the entire campus community, and that includes the Royal Purple, to be successful."

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On the Net:

The Royal Purple, http://www.royalpurplenews.com/

Wisconsin-Whitewater Athletics, http://www.uwwsports.com/