Hoops Valley. It's a nickname spoken with sarcasm, a snide remark by fans who are deservedly bitter about two miserable men's basketball seasons. It's a team that has looked disorganized at best. A team that walked onto the court after halftime fully expecting to blow a lead in the last 20 minutes. A team in need of guidance and a new attitude.

Enter Ed DeChellis.

The casual fan has probably never heard of DeChellis, the former East Tennessee State head coach and Penn State assistant under Bruce Parkhill and Jerry Dunn. News of his hiring evoked mostly apathy or frustration from the blue-and-white faithful who had heard names like Lavin, Floyd and Wojciechowski thrown around as replacements for Dunn, who resigned last month.

A high-profile coach might have drawn a few more fans for the first week of the season, but wouldn't have been a cure-all for the program.

DeChellis' enthusiasm and passion is contagious. It's hard not to have some sort of optimism when you listen to the man talk about having the opportunity to coach at his alma mater. The excitement in his voice and the look in his eyes speak volumes of what he envisions for Penn State basketball.

DeChellis will provide a spark to a listless team on the court and on the recruiting trail, something that has been missing in recent years.

The first thing that needs to change is the team's attitude. Despite an embarrassing 7-21 record last season, the team had games that suggested the presence of talent in the lineup -- a one-point victory over Big Ten regular-season champion Wisconsin and an eight-point win over Indiana, a team that made the second round of the NCAA tournament.

It's those close losses that will start to turn around under DeChellis. The Nittany Lions held second-half leads against both Minnesota and Purdue during the season, only to collapse as the clock wound down. The Lions played very much like they knew they would lose, a mindset that DeChellis' coaching style and positive outlook will undoubtedly change.

The team will also be better organized on the court under DeChellis. Granted, this isn't a particularly bold prediction coming on the heels of the almost chaotic "system" that became an unfortunate hallmark during Dunn's tenure. Last year's team frequently looked lost at both ends of the court, evidenced by the utter lack of fast-break points scored on offense and the terrible matchups the team had on defense. Look no further than the Michigan game near the end of the season, featuring 7-foot Jan Jagla trying to guard Daniel Horton, one of the quickest players in the Big Ten. Watching DeChellis' East Tennessee State team take Wake Forest to the buzzer in the first round of the NCAA tournament this year provided a sharp contrast. It was a well-coached and disciplined team that held on and nearly pulled off a huge upset.

One of the biggest benefits that DeChellis brings to the table is his skill as a recruiter. He's been lauded for the results he has gotten recruiting at both Div. I programs he's coached at. DeChellis was considered one of the top recruiters during his initial stint at Penn State. He is generally credited with landing standout recruits Calvin Booth, Matt Gaudio and Pete Lisicky.

DeChellis took over an East Tennessee program in a relatively similar position, transforming a 7-20 bottom-feeder into a conference champion that remains in good shape even after his departure. Like his job as the Buccaneers' head coach, DeChellis isn't going to right the ship in one season, but has a strong foundation for the future with young talent like DeForrest Riley.

Is Ed DeChellis the perfect man for the job? No. Could Tim Curley have spent longer than two-and-a-half weeks to search for his new basketball coach? Probably. Should we give DeChellis a chance and some support as well? Absolutely.