Notre Dame fans got the news they’ve been waiting to hear since Notre Dame’s season came to a close – junior wide receiver Michael Floyd will return to Notre Dame for his senior season.
We’ll have more on Floyd’s decision and what it means for Notre Dame later tonight, but for now, here are some quotes from Floyd from the University’s official release.
“This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life,” Floyd said. “On the one hand, there was Notre Dame. This place has been an incredible home to me and the relationships I built here are ones I know I’ll have for the rest of my life. On the other hand, there was the NFL. It has always been a lifelong goal to play football at the highest level and that is something I look forward to doing at some point. However, I’m pleased to say I will be returning to the University of Notre Dame for my senior season in 2011.
“I’m returning to Notre Dame for three reasons: to earn my degree, return Notre Dame to the top and improve myself as a player. First, I promised my mom I would graduate from Notre Dame and I am 40 credit hours shy of attaining that goal. I chose to attend Notre Dame in part because I knew it was a 40-year decision and not a four-year decision. Graduating from Notre Dame will help me for the rest of my life. Second, I want to get Notre Dame back to a BCS game. I believe we are very close to returning the Irish to where we belong and I want to be part of something great. Lastly, I want to show everyone in the country that I’m the best wide receiver in college football in 2011. There are many things I need to improve, but I feel with the coaching I have at Notre Dame, I can become the best at my position in this game.”
Obviously to say, this is HUGE news for Notre Dame and its 2011 season.
Michael Floyd you sir are the MAN!! I am so pumped up for the 2011 season. GO IRISH!!
SPICY I agree with YOu. Floyd definite most NFL ready
Now I believe Coach Kelly can generate offense when u have a stud who demands double coverage and can beat it anyway… He creates holes all over the field.. Can’t put 8 in the box with FLoyd out there, and now younger receivers will not be forced into bigger roles then they can handle….
Floyd made a can’t miss decision and I am thrilled about it…. ND was capable of top 10 last season so now that Coach Kellyt Got his feet under him lets get top ten this yr…. anyone who thinks differently then sit back and be impressed….
I loved my four years at Notre Dame. My senior year especially. I know that football players have a very limited shelf life, and there are no guarantees, but I am glad that Michael will get to enjoy his last year at ND. I think the rest of us will.
Savon Huggins announcing Jan. 28th. Is it any coincidence he announced this hours after Floyd decided to come back?
Yes, it is a coincidence.
wow, great news!
“i want to show everybody that i am the best wide-receiver in college football in 2011”
enough said. the rest of it was a bunch of fluff to make coach kelly, his parents, the university, and fans that use the acronym “rkg” happy.
I for one will not be happy with a 10-3 season. Anything less than a game in a top bowl will be failed season. We have have S. Florida, Michaigan State and USC at Home. Only road test is Stanford and they are not going to be the same this year without Harbaugh
I agree. 2011 is BCS or bust. No more of this rebuilding bullshit. It’s all about kicking ass this year.
Oh man this news just made me moist!
This is the best news to hit the Chicago-land area since that ass hat Mayor Daley decided not to run again! Retaining Floyd will at least make 2011 tolerable as Gov Quinn is busy taxing our tookis off. Thank you Mr Floyd.
Hahaha…I’m not sure Chicagonians (?) knew that they could vote for anyone else.
Not the voters in the cemeteries, anyway…
This is AWESOME news!!
This will have to help recruiting as well, specifically these guys on the fence with ND to see how Kelly has changed the outlook of the program.
Great days ahead for the Fightin’ Irish!!
I think among Clausen, Tate, Rudolph and Floyd, Floyd was the most NFL ready out of all of them
“The Lady” produces great young men.
There is a GOD!
ND only brings in smart young men. Jimmy and Golden went out when they were hot. Golden couldn’t have had a better year than he did and Jimmy in the spread no one knows. Jimmy, Golden, Kyle and Michael all made the right decisions for themselves.
This is the single best piece of news in years! Before Michael revealed he’s coming back, ESPN had ND ranked #14 preseason. I suspect they’ll move up a bit… This should also help convince some of those recruits wavering to a decision for ND so they can be in on the most exciting season in decades!
Now… can Coach Kelly run for President? He’ll have my vote…
Take it easy. I’m already sick of preseason predictions. ND will be solid, but let’s not start hoisting them to top ten status just yet.
Amen!
Agreed, let’s all just relax. Stay in the present and hope we can beat a very solid USF team to start the year. I’d be ecstatic with a 10-3 season next year. The most important thing you need in college football is a good QB. We’ve got our biggest question mark at that position.
Very true. Nothing wrong with feeling good about your team but lets keep the expectations at a reasonable level. 10-3 would be a great step on the road up. A little at a time is what ND needs now.
You guys gotta be kidding me. I’ve got what? 8 months to till the season gets rolling.
I think I’ll waste at least the first two convincing myself this team’s going to destroy the competition.
I mean look on the bright side: The schedule should be easier.
Right now you’re probably thinking I’m nuts, and while that’s probably true. So are the facts. ND faces 8 teams next year that went bowling this year. That’s 2 less than they played this year. And of the 3 teams ND played that didn’t go Bowling, 2 had the 6+ wins (USC is banned, WMU didn’t get to dance).
I guess what I’m saying is, If I’m going to have expectations for 2011 football in January, they might as well be wholly unreasonable.
Like I’ve said before, who cares where they are in the rankings? Preseason rankings mean absolutely nothing. There is basically no point to them except they have to go through the motions. If they’re 14th, 4th, or 44th, it matters not.
Just win and all of that peripheral noise will take care of itself nicely, and in due time.
i agree that preseason rankings SHOULD not matter, but they do in some respects.
having a preseason ranking gives us some leverage and credibility on the recruiting trail. it also makes it easier, when you start the season ranked, to be one of the higher 1, 2 or 3 loss teams at the end of the year.
i would just assume go under the radar until we start proving that we are a better team on the field. but being ranked preseason is probably a good thing. let’s embrace it. at number 14, that means people predict that we will go 10-2 during the regular season. that sounds completely reasonable to me given the defensive showing the last four games. it was said over and over again during the bowl games, but good teams have dominant d-lines. kelly is getting there with nix and this recruiting class.
can’t wait for next year! go irish!
A smart move by a smart young man. He has worked hard his whole life and this will pay off for him in the long run.
Wonderful to get good new today. One less recruit needed this year. Michael will end up being a high first round pick in 2012, for sure!
2011 is the going to be out of control. Lets go ND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is showing what type of player attends Notre Dame. He wants an NFL career but knows the importance of an education. He is a role model for players around the country that it is important to get that education which will last you the rest of your life.
Let’s face it, the only reason MF is coming back is because he is not a 1st rounder. Don’t pretend that ND athletes prescribe to some sort of holier than though code that others don’t. A multi million dollar contract can last you the rest of your life as well. ND ain’t going anywhere so I’m sure Golden, Jimmy or Kyle can come back and get a degree should they choose to.
Agree!
Dude do you know how many players skip their last year, don’t get their degree, and then end up burning out after their careers are over and going bankrupt? It’s smart to get your degree so you have something you can do after your playing days are over, especially if you suffer some kind of career ending injury early in your career before you get a chance to make some serious bank.
Get off your sanctimonious horse. There is no need to invoke any reference to holier than thou–and no need for Notre Dame to shy away from the fact that students at the university have a leg up compared to many universities when it comes to the options they have post-college and the quality of advice they get from the staff.
The landscape is littered with athletes who have nothing to bank on after their collegiate careers are over.
Easy big Al, I don’t own a horse. I just think it is a little funny when we talk about our guys as if they put their pants on a little different. We have great kids, but the elite ones leave early to get drafted and the others stay for 4 years.
And Matt, the type of kid who is going to burn out and go bankrupt will do it with our without his degree.
Having a degree at least gives you something you can do post-football if you’re having money problems and when looking for a job, there’s not many better degrees than a notre dame one. Look it up, notre dame is in the top 25 in schools most recruited out of by businesses.
Don’t need to look it up, have one on the wall.
So you agree that having a notre dame degree is a good insurance policy in case something goes wrong in the pros or if you start having money issues?
Great news!
Just remember all those so called WR’s ahead of you in this year’s upcoming NFL draft…Get your Credit card widescreen TV and watch the 2011 version of the Micheal Floyd show. Collective barganing is in the tank for 2011. E/A Madden won’t have a game. Yall ain’t getn paid or a contract. Vizdum people..vizdum. (Junction Boys)..Hey Seantrel…How’s it feel to be a Hurricane now?…Should of listen to your boy, Floyd….He’s got the ND devine wisdom…Stephan Tuitt, Savon, A Lynch, ‘I’Shaq…R u Listening???….cmon, now…
You get the most incoherent comment award.
YES!!!! Thank you, Michael, for your dedication and commitment! We all hope you have a great season next year and help us enjoy a BCS birth! We love you, man, and all the best to you! GO IRISH!!
“Lastly, I want to show everyone in the country that I’m the best wide receiver in college football in 2011.”
He is going to have a HUGE chip on his shoulder in 2011. I think he is a little ticked off about his NFL grade and he is going to raise his game to a whole nother level.
His work ethic will raise the level of the whole team. This is great news and should help with the remaining recruits.
There is one very smart and insightful man. Congrats on the decision, Michael. You won’t regret it.You understand Irish football!
BOOM!
Wow! Love it!
GIDDY UP MICHAEL! Good to have you! GO IRISH!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS