Lane Kiffin announced Tuesday night that he has agreed to replace Pete Carroll as head coach of Southern California.

"This was not an easy decision," Kiffin said in a brief press conference. "This was something that happened very quick. A decision that myself and my family made.

"I really believe that this is the only place I would have left here to go, is to Southern Cal."

It is expected that Kiffin will take father Monte as defensive coordinator, as well as assistant head coach Ed Orgeron.

Kiffin served as an assistant to Carroll at USC from 2001-2006. He was a wide receivers coach, until eventually being promoted to offensive coordinator.

Wide receivers coach Kippy Brown was named Interim Head Coach, but the search for the new coach is already underway.

"We have already begun a search for the new head football coach of the Tennessee Volunteers," said Men's Athletics Director Mike Hamilton in a press release. "We'll complete this process as quickly as possible to put the right person in place to lead our great football program forward in the months and years ahead."

Junior defensive end Chris Walker was saddened by Kiffin's leaving, but said he was not bitter.

"I'm not mad at him because it's a position he couldn't turn down. It's his dream job. As for loyalty, he didn't know that this was going to come up."

Walker said the most difficult part of the situation is already having two coaches in two years.

Soon it will be three in three years.

"I think the dream coach is probably Will Muschamp," said Brent Hubbs of Volquest.com.

Muschamp is the current defensive coordinator at Texas, and has been named current head coach Mack Brown's eventual replacement there. Muschamp has experience in the SEC, as he has served as defensive coordinator for both LSU and Auburn.

Hubbs also mentioned Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone, and Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun as prospects that Tennessee should look at.

In his only season with the Vols after being named Phillip Fulmer's replacement in December 2008, Kiffin led the Vols to a 7-6 record and a 4-4 conference record en route to a second-place finish in the SEC East. The Vols lost 37-14 to Virginia Tech in the Chic-Fil-A Bowl New Year's Eve.

Speculations now arise on the status of Kiffin's current recruiting class, which was one of the nation's best, and whether they will follow him to USC, stay in Knoxville, or just leave the situation altogether.