Jim Boylen made quite a first impression on the Runnin' Utes.

Players at Tuesday's press conference liked what they heard from Utah's new head coach.

"The statements he made were really exciting," said forward Shaun Green. "I just can't wait to get ready to go play and get ready for next year."

The Utes, who went 11-19 in Ray Giacoletti's final season at the helm, are eager to institute Boylen's plan to improve the team's toughness and competitive edge.

"I'm excited," said Daniel Deane, who will be a sophomore next season. "Hopefully next year we'll turn this place around and get a championship."

Deane added that he was very happy with the hiring of Boylen and said the new coach was "gold."

Boylen brings college and NBA coaching experience to Utah.

"We're just all excited to start a new era of Utah basketball and learn from this guy," said Green. "I think the whole team is excited."

And they should be, explained athletics director Chris Hill.

"I'm excited for our present players. I'm very excited for them because he's going to develop them in every way," said Hill. "... He's worked with the best of the best. So if he can help those guys and relate to those guys, I think our guys can see that and be excited."

Boylen vows to build something special at Utah — a list that includes graduations, victories and putting players in the pros.

"He brings a lot of things to the program, and he seems like he's a very knowledgeable coach," said returning center Luke Nevill, who was pleased to learn that Boylen has worked with big men like Hakeem Olajuwon and Yao Ming in the past. "That's great. I want to go take it to the next step and play in the NBA. So knowing he's coached some big guys in the NBA is going to be real good for me and my development."

As such, the team is anxious to learn from the new coach.

"All of us want to play at some level after college," said Green.

"He has the experience and knows what it takes to get there."

Boylen's combination of experience and success, Nevill noted, will be good for the Utes both individually and collectively.

"We want to improve. He seems like he's a teacher, and he's going to be good for us," said Nevill, who was pleased to hear one of the coach's top priorities will be establishing toughness. "That's what the team needed. We have the skills to play at a high level, but sometimes we didn't have the toughness to follow it through."

Though a quick fix is possible, Hill said the hiring of Boylen is more of a long-term solution. Many times, however, the two scenarios are one and the same.

"What I want for next year's team is what I want for a team 10 years from now," Hill explained while reeling off attributes like discipline, defending, rebounding and doing the right things on and off the court — being a program fans can be proud of.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo predicts Boylen "will do everything he can to make the entire Utah community proud of the Ute basketball program."