The program that has had no passion has hired a man that is filled with it.

Ed DeChellis was officially announced yesterday morning as the 11th Penn State men's basketball coach, and all he wanted to talk about was the passion he has for Penn State and basketball.

His body language told the entire story. As Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley read his opening statement describing the qualifications he fulfilled, DeChellis started showing his emotions and love for Penn State as he started to become teary-eyed. As he stood up at the podium prior to uttering a single word as coach, he wore his emotions on his sleeves.

He told his players at a meeting Tuesday night what he expects of them.

"One thing I tried to get across to them in our conversation was how passionate I am about the university," DeChellis said, "how passionate I am about our basketball program. ... When I spoke to the players I hope they saw the passion, I hope they saw the energy, I hope they saw the enthusiasm I have for this university."

Apparently, Curley saw his passion in the interview process, and two and a half weeks after the resignation of Jerry Dunn on March 17, the decision was made for his replacement.

DeChellis, who was a graduate assistant from 1982-84 and an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions from 1986-96, returns to Penn State again after spending the last seven seasons with East Tennessee State, where his record was 105-93.

DeChellis' start was anything but conventional. He spent two seasons playing at Penn State Beaver before coming to main campus hoping to be a walk-on.

"I said, 'there's no way I can play with these guys,' " DeChellis said of the first time he saw the Penn State team practicing. "I might not look real smart but I'm smarter than that."

DeChellis then went to the coach, Dick Harter, and talked to him. After that, he made the decision that he wanted to coach. He spent the next season "tossing balls around." He was then a graduate assistant for Harter. When Bruce Parkhill took over as coach, he kept DeChellis on as a coach.

"I will never forget that," DeChellis said. "He could have easily told me to clean out my desk."

The Monaca native said he plans on meeting with all three current Penn State assistant coaches -- Christian Appleman, Pat Brogan and Mike Boyd -- at the Final Four in New Orleans this weekend.

Curley said he focused his search on finding the coach who had a burning desire for Penn State. Curley refused to comment on the number of candidates interviewed, the status of DeChellis' contract or if the job was offered to someone else. Curley said DeChellis is under contract.

DeChellis said it was very tough for him to say good-bye to his East Tennessee State players, especially to young players like Timmy Smith.

"I told my wife this is the hardest thing in my life since my father died 22 years ago," DeChellis said. "I had a great group of kids and am very emotional about them."

His focus now is on getting the Penn State program as "healthy" as soon as possible. And it won't happen immediately, but Parkhill said DeChellis would resurrect it as fast as anyone.

"No one can turn it around in one year," Parkhill said. "He'll do it as quick as anyone.