Weis to return in 2009

Dec 3, 2008 - 5:37 PM SOUTH BEND, Indiana (Ticker) -- Charlie Weis will return to Notre Dame for a fifth season, the school announced Wednesday.

After the Fighting Irish finished the season with a 6-6 record, there was speculation that Weis would be fired during the offseason. However, athletic director Jack Swarbrick feels Weis still is the best man to turn around the once-proud program.

"Though this past season fell short of the expectations that all of us have for our football program, I am confident that Charlie has a strong foundation in place for future success and that the best course of action is to move forward under his leadership," Swarbrick said in a statement released by the university Wednesday.

A 38-3 loss in the regular-season finale against then-No. 5 Southern California on Saturday dropped Weis to 28-21 in four seasons with the Fighting Irish, giving him a worse winning percentage than his two predecessors, Bob Davie and Ty Willingham.

Notre Dame has lost five of its last seven games overall and dropped 15 contests over the last two seasons - a school record.

Weis still has seven years left on a 10-year contract he signed midway through his first season. WNDU reported on Sunday that it would cost the university $20 million to buy out the remaining years on Weis' contract.

Swarbrick met with Weis in California on Tuesday to review this past season and discuss 2009.

"He, I and others involved in leading our football program are committed to doing everything necessary to ensure a successful 2009 season," Swarbrick said. "We are examining every aspect of the program and will make changes wherever we think they are needed."

Weis is 4-10 against ranked opponents during his tenure. Three of the wins came in his first season.

In addition to his inability to beat ranked teams, Weis also has had trouble in defeating what are considered to be inferior opponents.

Last season, the Fighting Irish endured a triple-overtime loss to Navy, ending an NCAA-record 43-game winning streak over one opponent.

A week prior to this season's USC debacle, the Fighting Irish squandered a double-digit, fourth-quarter lead in a 24-23 home loss to Syracuse, which has been one of the nation's worst programs.