Illinois coach Bill Self accepted the head coaching job at Kansas and was introduced as Roy Williams' successor Monday.

A source said Self made the decision to leave Illinois on Saturday and informed his Illini players later that night, adding that the decision to take the Kansas job was a "gut-wrenching" one for Self, but one "he knew he had to make."

Self arrived on Kansas' campus and joined basketball players for a meal Sunday. Kansas announced the hiring in Lawrence on Monday.

The source added that Self will take his Illinois coaching staff with him to Kansas, including assistant coach Norm Roberts, who is not expected to be a candidate to replace Self.

Kansas received permission last week to speak with Self about replacing Williams, who left to coach North Carolina.

Warm reception

Bill Self met with the Kansas players Sunday night to discuss his plans for the team, a day before he was to be introduced as the new coach of the Jayhawks. "It's his program now,'' forward Keith Langford said after leaving the meeting at Allen Fieldhouse, which lasted a little more than an hour. Self, who spent the past three seasons at Illinois, arrived on campus earlier Sunday and had dinner with chancellor Robert Hemenway, interim athletic director Drue Jennings and several staff members and current players. Self made a strong impression on point guard Aaron Miles. "He's cool. I like him,'' Miles said. "He said he is a different coach than Roy Williams, but he is a good coach.'' Forward Wayne Simien said Self appeared exhausted during the meeting with his new players. "He looks like he hasn't slept,'' Simien said. "It just shows how hard he has worked. He came in the room nonchalantly. The first thing I said when I saw this guy was that he looked terrible. But he is a real fiery guy. "It is the beginning of a new chapter, and we have closed the one behind us.'' Simien was bitter about Williams' departure, and he said Self allowed the players to ask him candid questions. "The main question was, how did he tell his players at Illinois,'' Simien said. "I feel for the Illinois players, because I know how they feel.'' Kansas guard Michael Lee said Self told the players he wants to run on offense next season, giving them plenty of opportunities to experiment on the court. "He said he will never take away from a player's game, and never look at the bench when you make a mistake,'' Lee said. -- The Associated Press

A secretary at Lawrence Municipal Airport, who declined to be identified, told The Associated Press that a plane traveling from Illinois and carrying Self landed shortly before 2:30 p.m.

According to a report in the Chicago Sun-Times on Sunday, Self was seen removing items from his office at Illinois on Saturday night. Sources told the newspaper that Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther ''is resigned to the fact that he's going to lose Bill," and that Guenther is prepared to start his search for a new coach Monday.

Kansas' offer to Self was rumored to be a five-year deal worth $1.2-$1.5 million a year. Self recently agreed to a five-year extension at Illinois worth $925,000, plus an additional $500,000 if he stayed for the full five years of the deal.

Self had left Wednesday for his vacation in Florida. The last time he went to Florida on a vacation -- three years ago in May -- the Illinois job opened. That's when Self left Tulsa to succeed Lon Kruger in Champaign.

Kansas players and recruits reportedly had tabbed Self as their No. 1 choice to replace Williams.

The Jayhawks will be strong next season, probably better than Illinois. Wayne Simien, Jeff Graves and incoming freshman David Padgett form one of the best frontcourts in the country. Guards Keith Langford, Aaron Miles, incoming freshman J.R. Giddens, Michael Lee and another freshman, Omar Wilkes, will give the Jayhawks depth that they haven't always had.

Illinois has a commitment from New Jersey prep forward Charlie Villanueva, but he hasn't signed. He's a recruitable athlete and the Jayhawks could land him if he doesn't go to the NBA.

Self, 40, led the Illini to a 78-24 record in three seasons after coming from Tulsa when Lon Kruger left Illinois to coach the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.

His teams shared the Big Ten regular-season title in his first two seasons, 2001 and 2002, making him the second Big Ten coach to accomplish the feat. The Illini finished second in the regular season and won the Big Ten Tournament championship in 2003.

The Illini have been to the NCAA Tournament in each of Self's three seasons as coach, reaching the quarterfinals in 2001.

Self won his 200th career game on Feb. 22, and his teams were 39-1 on their home court at Assembly Hall in three seasons.

Self's intensity on the bench and his affable off-court nature have made him a fan favorite at Illinois. Members of the student fan club "Orange Krush'' mounted a lobbying effort to keep him on campus, hanging signs imploring him to stay inside the team's practice center and demonstrating outside the team's postseason banquet, cheering loudly when he arrived.

Self began his coach career as an assistant at Kansas. He also was the head coach at Tulsa, where he took his team to the Elite Eight of the 2000 NCAA Tournament.

Guenther is expected to begin an immediate search to replace Self. Top candidates include Marquette's Tom Crean, Xavier's Thad Matta, Southern Illinois' Bruce Weber, Oregon's Ernie Kent (a native of Rockford, Ill.) and former Bulls coach Tim Floyd.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com.