MARQUETTE -- On May 14, Northern Michigan University hired just their fourth head coach in the last 50 years, and Doug Lewis, Jr. didn't waste any time making an impression.

"As a coach I really, I really believe I'm going from McDonalds to Red Lobster and I'm ordering the shrimp and lobster," said Lewis. 

Lewis comes from Central State University in Ohio, a Division II school that has only two scholarships per year compared to ten at N.M.U. and also has a much smaller athletic budget than Northern.

Lewis' has personality as well as a successful head coaching stint at Central where he went 125-61 in seven seasons at the helm of the Marauders.  That convinced N.M.U. Athletic Director Ken Godfrey that he had the right man.

"The thing about him is he has tremendous passion to be here at N.M.U.," said Godfrey.  "He has the confidence.  He wants to get this program to the very top level, and that's exactly what we want here.  I think he has tremendous potential, and we just have to take advantage of that."

Over the last few years, wins weren't the only thing that's been missing from the Wildcat basketball program.  Fan interest has been down for a number of years, and it's been noticeable in the stands. When Lewis found out the program averaged under 1,000 people per game last season, he called that a failure and that he promised to put people through the turnstiles at the Berry Events Center.

"If you're doing it the right way and you're winning ball games, you're going to pack the house," Lewis said.  "People are going to want to be part of it."

Excitement is something fans hope Lewis can inject into the men's program.  After having the chance to meet Lewis last week in the interview process and again May 14, former players and alumni say, so far so good.

"He seems to bring a lot of enthusiasm," said former Wildcat basketball standout Brandon Sager.  "He's excited to be here.  He's going to bring an up-tempo style of play, so I think it's going to bring some excitement to the Berry Events Center."

Only time will tell if Lewis is the right man for the job at Northern Michigan, but the Milwaukee native has already brought something the program's been missing for sometime:  hope.