Charlie Weis has survived to coach another day at Notre Dame, with this motivator - win big next year or else.

How big? Figure at least 10 victories, a high-level bowl (can you say BCS?) and absolutely, positively, a strong bowl performance - if not a victory, a defeat only because of some Doug Flutie-like miracle pass or blatantly botched officiating.

Notre Dame isn't paying Weis millions to lose to Navy and Syracuse and earn a trip to the, say, Sun Bowl. And getting smashed by Ohio State and Louisiana State in recent BCS bowls to make it a NCAA-record nine straight bowl losses isn't acceptable. Neither is a four-year record of 28-21 with alumni-infuriating blown leads and bad offense.

The Irish belong in the same lofty level with USC, Ohio State and Oklahoma. It's time they play like it. That means beating winning teams, ranked teams, national-title contending teams.

It means getting a first down against USC by halftime.

It means getting players to respond to your motivation.

Notre Dame lacks for nothing. Its resources, tradition, facilities, campus and academics rank with any university in the country.

Yes, the high academic standards can sometimes limit recruiting, but that's not a deal breaker in winning at an elite level. Notre Dame remains a major player on the national recruiting level - in part because Weis and his staff make academics part of the attraction.

Recruiting - and going to BCS bowls in his first two seasons and being a Notre Dame man - gives Weis an edge over predecessors Tyrone Willingham and Bob Davie, but not a guarantee.

Recent Irish lowlights - the most losses in a two-year span in school history (15), going 1-16 against teams with winning records and becoming fodder for USC (outscored 76-3 in the last two games) - have to stop. This season's 6-6 record, which easily could have been 9-3 no matter how Weis tries to spin it after last year's 3-9 debacle, is not nearly good enough.

Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick didn't list specific goals in Wednesday's university release that confirmed Weis' return for a fifth season, but you can read between the diplomatic lines.

“Though this past season fell short of the expectations that all of us have for our football program,” Swarbrick said, “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.”

Critics will rip Swarbrick for keeping Weis, but it was the right thing to do. Five years is fair to build a program, especially with the kind of recruiting Weis has done. He's poised to sign his fourth straight top-10 class. Potential is there.

Let's make this clear - talent is not a problem. Experience has been to an extent, but that excuse will be long gone by next season.

Weis has to maximize his talent. This almost certainly will mean a staff shakeup. Given the underperforming ways of the offensive line, the running game and the offense in general, figure offensive line coach John Latina and offensive coordinator-running backs coach Mike Haywood won't be back, and others might join them, although you didn't hear anything nearly that specific from Swarbrick.

“(Charlie), I and the 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.”

Swarbrick and Weis had their season-ending evaluation on Tuesday on the West Coast, where Weis was recruiting and Swarbrick was fundraising. Retaining Weis provides stability (Notre Dame has had five coaches in 12 years if you count resume-challenged George O'Leary), reassures committed recruits and helps secure others.

In the end, recruiting bought Weis one more year of the seven years left on his mega-million-dollar contract. To get more, he'd better win big.