The Browns confirmed the hiring late Monday afternoon. Davis is to be introduced at a news conference at 10 a.m. ET Tuesday.

Butch Davis told his players Monday morning that he would be leaving the team.(Allsport)

"I'm excited," Davis said Monday night. "It's a great opportunity, one that I felt for me and my family I couldn't pass up."

"I think he's going to bring a combination of excitement, energy and a new view," Browns president Carmen Policy said.

Miami athletic director Paul Dee said offensive coordinator Larry Coker would take over the team in an interim role and that a search for a permanent replacement would begin immediately.

Dee said the university has not contacted any candidates and that that the search is being conducted "as confidential as possible." He said Coker will get "favorable consideration" for the job.

"I'm ready for this job," Coker said. "I've coached in the major college level on defense. I've coached a number of teams on offense, some great offensive teams not only here but at some other schools. So, I think I'll be taken seriously for the job."

Coker came to Miami in 1995. He had been an assistant coach at Ohio State. Before that, he spent 10 years as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

"It's not my dream to be in the National Football League," Coker said. "I love college football. I love all parts of it. I love recruiting, I like this group of kids."

Coker said Davis recommended him for the head coaching job.

Center Brett Romberg said the players also lobbied Dee for on Coker's behalf.

After Davis broke the news to the team during a hastily called morning meeting, the players discussed staying motivated for next season and pushing Coker to replace Davis.

"He's won a lot of ball games for us," Romberg said. "He's an excellent play caller and a lot guys respect him."

Davis was 51-20 in six seasons with the Hurricanes and helped resurrect a program riddled with scandal and lack of institutional control. Miami was 11-1 this past season and a contender for the national championship.

"The University of Miami is grateful for the contributions (Davis) has made to the football program and we wish him the best in his future endeavors," Dee said.

"We are confident that University of Miami football will remain at a nationally competitive level."

Davis and his agent, Marvin Demoff, met with Browns officials Monday to conclude negotiations on a contract believed to be for five years and worth more than $3 million per season. SportsLine.com had twice reported in the past two weeks that Davis rebuffed Cleveland's persistent overtures and rejected a $3 million per year offer.

But team sources and those close to Davis said the coach's interest in the vacancy took a dramatic turn late last week, about the time the Browns' list of candidates began to dwindle. It's not certain if Policy raised the ante, but a source close to Demoff told SportsLine.com on Monday afternoon the contract could average closer to $3.5 million annually.

"The coach, basically is in place, but the final dollars are not," said the source. "But they're so far along on this thing, it won't collapse now. It's all but done. They've been talking for three of four days and the Browns people just wouldn't take no for an answer. Once the money got as high as it did, it was hard not to look seriously at the thing."

The contract likely will make Davis, who has previous pro experience as a defensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys, one of the top five highest-paid coaches in the league.

The tip-off to Davis' re-entry into the Browns job search came late Monday morning when vice president of football operations Dwight Clark phoned the agent for Marvin Lewis to apprise him the team was at least postponing its scheduled Tuesday morning interview with the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator.

"Dwight just said that something had come up and they had to postpone," agent Ray Anderson told SportsLine.com. "It took a little arm-twisting, but he finally admitted that Butch Davis had resigned at Miami and was on his way to Cleveland as we were speaking. I asked him if Davis had agreed to a deal and he kind of hemmed and hawed. Then I said, 'Hey, Dwight, there is no way Butch Davis would have resigned without having a new job in hand.' He didn't disagree."

The team had also been scheduled to interview New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox on Wednesday. Neither Fox nor his agent could be immediately reached for comment.

The Browns fired Palmer after he compiled a 5-27 record in the expansion franchise's first two seasons of existence.

Yet to be ascertained is just how much control the Browns ceded their new coach and how that will affect Clark's future with the club. Davis is a Jimmy Johnson protégée, and the former Dallas and Miami Dolphins coach typically counsels his disciples to not accept a coaching job that does not include full control over personnel. Sources said that Clark probably will remain with the Browns but that he might have been forced to surrender some of his control.

Lewis was scheduled to meet with Buffalo Bills president and general manager Tom Donahoe in Baltimore at 5 p.m. Monday to interview for that team's vacancy. Donahoe is tentatively scheduled to meet with Fox on Tuesday. He reiterated to SportsLine.com on Monday morning that he will not make a decision until he concludes the Fox interview.

The Associated Press contributed to this report