SOUTH BEND — Charlie Weis’ week in coaching no-man’s land has ended suddenly and awkwardly with the University of Notre Dame issuing a prepared statement Wednesday announcing that the embattled fourth-year Irish head football coach will return for the 2009 season.

An athletic department source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed Tuesday night that Weis had been informed he will return for a fifth season after sitting in limbo since Saturday night’s 38-3 beatdown by fifth-ranked USC in Los Angeles.

The university made it official late Wednesday morning. The statement said Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick made the decision in consultation with university president Rev. John I. Jenkins. Swarbrick and Weis met in California on Tuesday to review this past season, discuss plans for 2009 and communicate the A.D.’s decision, the statement said.

“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,” said Swarbrick.

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

The one-sided setback to USC Saturday night gave Weis four losses in ND’s last five games, a school-record-worst 9-15 mark over a two-year stretch and a 28-21 overall record in four seasons. It also fueled rampant speculation that the university might devour the seven remaining years on Weis’ contract as well as a sizable buyout.

The Irish (6-6) are expected to receive a bid Sunday to either the Sun Bowl (Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas) or one of a number of the others that are near the bottom of the bowl food chain.

Weis, recruiting on the West Coast, could not be reached for comment. He is due back in South Bend Thursday.

The news couldn’t come fast enough for a recruiting class that was being poached by virtually every college in the country. The feeding frenzy may continue, but it’s a class that if it stays together, will be Weis’ fourth straight to rank in the top 10 nationally.

His mission in 2009 will be to get his actual team to rank in the top 10 nationally.

After a 5-2 start this season, the Irish turned schizophrenic — blowing double-digit leads in losses to Pittsburgh and Syracuse and nearly doing the same against Navy. Their other losses in the final five games — to Boston College and USC — showed disquieting flashes of 2007, when ND finished 3-9 and with the worst offensive showing in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Heading into the Syracuse game, Nov. 22 at Notre Dame Stadium, Swarbrick’s wait-and-see statements had evolved into something that resembled a whole-hearted endorsement. But then the Irish fell to the then-2-8 Orange on Senior Day, the first time the Irish have ever lost to a team that finished its season with eight or more losses.

Suddenly, the heretofore accessible, quotable Swarbrick went silent. Saturday night after the USC game, though, he broke his silence, sort of.

The only real concrete declaration to come out of the impromptu meeting with the media outside the ND locker room was that he would sit down with Weis Dec. 8 to evaluate the program — and not before.

It has been widely speculated that there will be several changes in the assistant coaching staff at some point this off season, and the today’s statement didn’t contradict that notion.

The team’s annual banquet is Friday night at the Joyce Center, with former ND standout quarterback Joe Theismann serving as guest speaker. All but two of Weis’ nine assistants have also been out recruiting.

The Irish open the 2009 season Sept. 5 at home against Nevada.