DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa State basketball coach Larry Eustachy was suspended Wednesday after acknowledging he is an alcoholic, and the athletic director urged the school to fire him.

Three hours after Eustachy said he has sought treatment but will not resign, athletic director Bruce Van De Velde held a news conference of his own to announce that Eustachy would be suspended with pay and should be replaced.

Eustachy has five days to appeal to the president's office.

Van De Velde said Eustachy was informed of the recommendation to fire the coach at 11:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, so that Eustachy knew the recommendation when he held his news conference to admit he was an alcoholic at 2 p.m. ET.

Eustachy is 101-59 in five seasons at Iowa State, including 17-14 last season. In 13 seasons as a head coach, including stops at Idaho and Utah State, he is 260-145. Eustachy guided Iowa State to Big 12 championships in 2000 and 2001 and was the AP national coach of the year in 2000.

Van De Velde took the action because Eustachy "had engaged in behavior that is inconsistent with his responsibility to conduct himself in a manner that reflects positively on Iowa State University and the university's athletic programs."

Van De Velde said he could not comment beyond a prepared statement that he read, and he left without taking questions.

Eustachy's attorney, Jerry Crawford of Des Moines, would not say for certain if he would appeal on Eustachy's behalf but would "evaluate all of the options available."

"He is an enormously talented coach who is facing up to his problem," Crawford said. "We hope the university will ultimately decide to keep him."

Creighton coach Dana Altman is expected to be the top candidate to replace Eustachy in the event Eustachy is officially fired, according to ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

Former Iowa State coach Tim Floyd said Thursday on the Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio that he would not and could not ever replace Eustachy. It was Eustachy who replaced Floyd when Floyd left to become coach of the Chicago Bulls; Floyd has been out of coaching since resigning the NBA job in December 2001.

Floyd also said that he knew Eustachy was an alcoholic.

Eustachy's admission at a news conference earlier Wednesday came after photographs were published of him partying with college students in Missouri. The photographs, published Monday in The Des Moines Register, show him partying with the students and kissing young women.

"It's not my way, and I won't (resign). I believe in second chances, I do, but time will tell," Eustachy said.

He apologized to his family and his players.

"It hasn't been easy for them in the last few days," he said. "Words can't express enough the remorse I have, that I've brought upon everybody."

He said he realized he was an alcoholic nearly a month ago, and is now seeking help.

"For the rest of my life I will seek counseling for this illness," he said. "I have no excuses for my behavior ... we'll see what happens in the future, but I am looking forward to the future as a sober person."

The photographs touched off a national buzz and prompted calls for Eustachy's dismissal or resignation.

Eustachy is under contract through the 2010-11 season and is paid more than $1 million a year.

Eustachy's behavior was a hot topic on radio talk shows, both local and national. The Register said in an editorial that Eustachy "has to go."

Iowa State's basketball players went to the university's president and athletic director Tuesday, urging them to keep Eustachy.

"I'm behind Coach Eustachy 100 percent, as I know he would be for each and every one of us," forward Jackson Vroman said.

Vroman said the players told university President Gregory Geoffroy and Van De Velde that they supported Eustachy and wanted him to be their coach.

"Bruce Van De Velde told us he would do what is best for the university and the basketball program," said Vroman, who will be a senior next season. "We want them to do what's best for the basketball team and that's to keep coach Eustachy."

Eustachy, 47, is holding a can of beer in the photos. The pictures were taken at a Jan. 22 apartment party in Columbia, Mo., just hours after Iowa State lost to Missouri. In some photos, Eustachy is kissing young women on the cheek or is being kissed on the cheek.

Eustachy's wife, Stacy also spoke at Wednesday's news conference. She said her husband is a kind and loving father to their two children and has learned he has to treat the condition.

"I'm totally behind him 100 percent, I'm totally behind this man," she said. "He's a human being like everybody in here. He makes mistakes like you all do and like I have.

"He stepped up to the plate and made himself accountable, and that's a great example to our kids," she said.

Information from The Associated Press and ESPN.com senior writer Andy Katz was used in this report.