Two years ago, Lake Travis searched the state to find a new head football coach.

This time, school officials simply looked down the hallway .

The Lake Travis Independent School District announced Friday that defensive coordinator Hank Carter will be the Cavaliers' new head coach. Carter, 33, had been serving as the team's interim head coach since Chad Morris stepped down on Jan. 17 to join the University of Tulsa coaching staff.

This will be Carter's first head coaching job.

" I'm really excited," Carter said. "It's going to be an opportunity to keep this thing going. I know there are going to be more good times ahead."

Carter, who played high school football under Morris at Eustace, joined Morris' coaching staff in 2000. He has coached at Bay City, Stephenville and Lake Travis, and he won state championships with Morris at Bay City and Lake Travis.

He constructed a defense at Lake Travis that allowed 16.0 points per game in 2008 and 14.2 points per game last season. The Cavaliers were 32-0 over those two seasons while extending their winning streak to 46 consecutive games. Lake Travis has won three straight Class 4A state championships.

Last week, Morris gave his longtime assistant coach a vote of confidence.

"Obviously, we wouldn't be in the situation we're in right now, winning two state championships, without him coaching our defense," Morris said. "If he's not ready right now, he'll never be ready. This program will not lose a step with (Hank Carter). Matter of fact, it probably will get better."

Carter becomes the third head coach at Lake Travis since the Cavaliers last lost a game, 28-21 against Westlake in September 2007. He said he is ready to step into one of the top high school jobs in the state.

"I wouldn't be interested in the job if it wasn't a place where you're expected to do well," he said. "I know it's going to be a high-pressure job, but that's OK."

Most of the Lake Travis coaching staff is expected to return next year, including offensive coordinator Matt Green. A new defensive coordinator has not been named, but Carter said he will handle the defensive play-calling.

At this point, Lake Travis appears poised to make a run at a fourth straight state title. The offense will be anchored in 2010 by All-Central Texas quarterback Michael Brewer, who will welcome back three of his top four receivers. All-district defensive honorees Jonathan Roberts, Austin Williams and Colin Lagasse also will be back.