Had he done so, few would have blamed him. Plenty of cash would have awaited him there. There's no doubt that Floyd has the wherewithal to be a factor in the pros right this minute. Blessed with strength, fluidity, moves after the catch and noticeable hops, the 21-year-old junior has a game that would translate seamlessly to the next level.

There's simply no doubt he owns the skill set to move on. From a physical standpoint, Floyd is more than ready to advance.

But obviously, based on his somewhat surprising decision to return for his senior season, Floyd wasn't ready when it came to more emotional considerations.

Floyd readily admits he wrestled mightily while arriving at a judgment as to whether to stay or go. This was by no means an easy choice. He quickly pointed out that playing at the highest level has been a lifelong goal. But he resisted the tug of that dream for something that had a stronger pull on him.

Namely, the school that he has come to cherish. To Floyd, at this time in his life, Notre Dame simply has more to offer than the clinical life one often finds in the NFL.

To Floyd, wearing the Irish uniform means much more than just touchdowns and accolades. It speaks to him in terms of his heart. From the meaningful relationships he has forged with teammates and coaches, to the sense of comfort and community he feels on campus. Notre Dame is a true home to Floyd. A welcomed sanctuary. At this stage, he wasn't willing to give that up.

Most certainly other considerations factored into the equation Floyd was weighing. Spurred on by the positive influence of his mother, Floyd felt strongly about honoring his commitment to secure his degree.

There was also his placement in the upcoming draft to ponder. Projected to go as early as the latter first round or as late as the third round, Floyd can certainly improve on that status by putting together another stellar year in South Bend. Floyd's stock has been on a steady trajectory upward and there's no reason to think that won't continue while he toils again for the Irish.

Entering the off-season, there were two Irish players, both pass-catchers, who were thought to have the requisite tools to come out early. One was Floyd. The other was the gifted tight end Kyle Rudolph.

The smart money said that Notre Dame would be lucky to keep just one of them in the fold. The odds suggested that each would most likely bolt for the NFL. Losing both loomed as a distinct possibility.

Irish coach Brian Kelly went on record as saying he put on the full court press in order to convince Floyd and Rudolph to remain on board. "We're heavily recruiting them," emphasized Kelly. "We're recruiting them for Notre Dame."

Reputed to be a crack salesman, Kelly ended up batting .500. He closed the deal on one of them. While he lost Rudolph, Kelly ended up with the bigger prize. No knock on Rudolph, who's tough and proficient, but he's not a game-breaker like the 6-3, 227-pound Floyd.

Though he will be missed, Rudolph's departure won't diminish the Domers anywhere near the extent that Floyd's defection would have caused. The Irish already have a more than adequate replacement for Rudolph in potential stud Tyler Eifert.

However, no one on ND's roster could have come close to filling Floyd's huge shoes. The hole he would have left would have been gaping if not massive.

Floyd is that rare player that other teams must account for. He demands attention. And because he's such a focal point for the opposition, other options in the Irish offense benefit as a result.

With Floyd commanding such close scrutiny, things invariably loosen up for every other ND receiver to find more space with which to operate. With such intense focus on Floyd, seams in an enemy defense that ordinarily wouldn't be present, suddenly appear. Seams that are ripe to be exploited.

But in spite of being the marked man on the Domer offense, Floyd nonetheless succeeds in spectacular fashion.

In close coverage, he'll bound over defensive backs with his excuse-me-while-I-kiss-the sky leaps. With his ripped set of biceps, he can also out-muscle almost anyone for the ball.

Double and triple teams seldom deter him either. The innovative Kelly keeps Floyd moving around in various formations thereby making it more challenging to hone in on the Irish star. Give Floyd just a sliver of daylight and he'll utilize it to the max. Throwing a blanket around him is damn near next to impossible.

And lookout once the graceful Floyd latches onto a pass. Yards-after-the-catch is rapidly becoming a key stat to validate a receiver's worth and in this regard, Floyd excels. Shifty, smooth and elusive, Floyd makes defenders miss with regularity. Floyd is an expert at getting foes to come up with nothing but air.

If Floyd's impact stopped right there, he'd be a coach's dream. A force on multiple fronts. Yet, the soon-to-be senior takes things even further.

For instance, Kelly raves about Floyd's perspiration quotient when he says," I have never had a player work as hard as Michael."

And when it comes to leadership, Floyd takes a back seat to no one. He is readily acknowledged by teammates to be the player who sets the example and establishes the tone for the Irish.

How good is Floyd, really? Well, despite enduring nagging hamstring problems for much of last season, he loomed large on the stat sheet with 79 catches that translated into 1,025 yards and 12 scores.

His performance against Miami in the Sun Bowl was particularly noteworthy when he dominated the proceedings with 109 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

With that much going for him and very little left to prove at the collegiate level, most observers figured Floyd would be gone like a shot. That he couldn't resist the lure of the pros and the monetary windfall he was likely to receive.

But Floyd threw most everyone a curve. He defied convention and sort of bucked the system. With plenty of compelling reasons to come out, Floyd searched his soul and found even more convincing reasons to stay. And are the Irish ever glad he did.

So come September 2011, Michael Floyd will still be donning the blue and gold of Notre Dame instead of the colors of some NFL team. The percentages pointed to Floyd bailing on ND. He seemed primed to put South Bend in his rearview mirror. He looked to be gone. To have him return to the fold has provided the Irish program with an unexpected jolt of excitement, anticipation and energy.

Moreover, his mere presence makes the Domers doubly more dangerous and formidable.

Yes, the accomplished Floyd could have flown the coop but he didn't. Instead, he'll stay home to roost one more season. That rates as a major coup for Kelly.