Darrell Hazell has confirmed the rumors:  He has accepted an offer to become Purdue University's head football coach. 

"I'm excited about that new chapter in my life, but obviously, it's always hard to leave people that you love," said Hazell during a morning news conference on the campus of Kent State. Purdue has a similar news conference scheduled for this evening on it's Lafayette, Indiana campus.

Hazell provided no specifics on his new contract, and would not answer any questions on the deal he'll be getting as head coach of the Boilermakers. Various reports put Hazell's deal at $12 million a season over six years. He replaces Danny Hope, who had a base salary of $1.25 million dollars a season at Purdue. Hazell was a bargain for Kent State with a base salary of $300,000 a season.

Hazell says he would like to coach the Golden Flashes and both Kent State and Purdue have given their approval for him to be on the sidelines coaching KSU in their January 6, 2013 GoDaddy.com Bowl appearance against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in Mobile, Alabama. The game will have a degree of irony, as Arkansas State head football coach Gus Malzahn will also be leaving his position. Malzahn is taking the reins at Auburn University after two years at Arkansas State, the same term Hazell had in Kent.

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Several sources have tabbed Kent State head football coach Darrell Hazell as the next coach of the Purdue Boilermakers.

Purdue is expected to make an announcement tomorrow.

Hazell in two years with the Flashes has led an amazing turnaround going 11-2 in 2012 and has the school competing in it's first bowl game since 1972.

Purdue, from the Big 10, also reportedly interviewed Cincinnati's Butch Jones as a possible replacement for  Danny Hope, who was fired after four seasons as coach,  but appear to have their man in Hazell.