With all the rumors put to rest, it’s time for the Iowa State men’s basketball team to get down to business with new head coach, Larry Eustachy.

After months of speculation over the expected departure of former head coach Tim Floyd, it took ISU Athletic Director Gene Smith only one week to find Floyd’s replacement from Utah State University. Eustachy was announced as the new men’s basketball head coach on July 29.

“It took something extremely special to get me to leave [Utah],” Eustachy said at a July press conference. “We are here because of Ames, the state and also the people.

“I’m very excited about being at Iowa State. I’ve heard that Iowa is the No. 1 place to raise a family in the country, and that is my deal,” he said. Eustachy and his wife Stacy have two sons, Hayden, 6, and Evan, 4.

As the 1998 Big West Conference Coach of the Year, Eustachy led Utah State University to 98 wins during the past five seasons, which included a trip to the 1998 NCAA tournament.

His team won three conference titles and led the nation in rebound margin in both 1994 and 1997. Eustachy never had a losing record in his eight years as a head coach.

“I don’t know how good this team will be. It played no factor because this is not a stop for me; this is it for me,” the 42-year-old Eustachy said.

Eustachy also said he will not pursue a position as a NBA coach in the near future.

“This [position] is very long term,” he said.

Eustachy was an assistant coach under Floyd during the 1986-87 season at the University of Idaho, and the two have remained friends, with Eustachy making frequent visits and recruiting for Floyd.

The two coaches have similar philosophies about basketball, but Eustachy’s team may try to push the ball a bit more offensively. At the press conference, Eustachy said he wants to jump right into his new position.

“I have heard that Iowa people are the most tolerant and most patient people in America, and I’m counting on that for next year,” Eustachy said. “They’re special [people], very knowledgeable, and they enjoy somebody with some sincerity who puts a respectable product out there, both in the classroom and on the court,” he said.

“I know what this place is about, and I know the popularity of the program and the sincerity of the fans,” Eustachy said.

Before arriving at Utah State University, Eustachy had a record of 61-33 (.649) as head coach of University of Idaho. He took the head coaching job in 1990 and led his team to three consecutive winning seasons, including a Big Sky Conference championship in 1993.

Smith first spoke to Eustachy July 24 after Floyd’s resignation on July 22. Eustachy accepted the five-year, $500,000 deal when he arrived in Ames.

“I’m glad we have a new coach,” sophomore basketball player Marcus Fizer said shortly after the announcement. “We don’t know a whole lot about him, but I’m more than willing to find out everything that he has to offer.

“It’s quite a relief to know every rumor about your coach going to leave is not in your head, so you can concentrate,” Fizer said. “We’re really looking forward to it. Everyone is excited about coming here, and no one has said that they’re not coming or transferring.”