Charlie Weis to return in 2009

The Charlie Weis watch, for now, is over.

No more wildly fluctuating media speculation over the buyout in his contract: Is it $4.5 milion, or $12 million or maybe $10 million?

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick announced Wednesday that Weis would return as the school's football coach in 2009 despite posting 15 losses (with a possible bowl game left) the last two seasons.

Here is Swarbrick's statement:

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.

Reaction?

No big surprise. Notre Dame had a lot invested in Weis after extending his contract 10 years following a 2005 loss to USC. The Irish have had top-rated recruiting classes the last two years and next year's soft schedule makes promising the prospect for a turnaround.

Of course, Weis is 28-21 after four seasons, a lower winning percentage than Tyrone Willingham had when the school fired him after three seasons, a cloud that continues to hang over Golden Dome decision making.

Notre Dame was in a tough spot. Does it fire Weis and concede it made a bad choice and squandered millions of dollars on a possibly overrated coach, or let him coach another season knowing that would also produce backlash in light of Willingham's early dismissal?

Either way the school looks bad.

So now the setup is clear. Weis must win nine in '09. He must lead Notre Dame to a BCS bowl, and perhaps actually win it (the Irish have lost nine straight bowls).

Anything less will be unacceptable, but at least Weis will have had five years to figure things out.

That seems fair.

Wasn't that, historically, the Notre Dame way?

Wasn't that the way it used to be?

-- Chris Dufresne   

Photo: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis  during Saturday's game against USC. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez / US Presswire