Maybe there’s something to the momentum coach Brian Kelly has built with the Notre Dame football team.
It's already taken a step in the right direction for 2011.
Wednesday, the Irish program got word that receiver Michael Floyd has passed up an opportunity to leave Notre Dame early to start his NFL career.
"This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make in my life," Floyd said in a statement. "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."
Which means the league and the big money can wait for the 6-foot-3, 227-pounder.
Last year it was Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate who left with a season at Notre Dame still on the table. Last week, it was tight end Kyle Rudolph who departed early.
Despite being nagged with hamstring problems for a good part of his junior season, Floyd was impressive. In 12 games, he caught 79 passes for 1,025 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was dominant against Miami in the Sun Bowl, catching six passes for 109 yards and two scores.
His top three games this season were Southern Cal (11 catches, 86 yards, 1 TD), Tulsa (11, 104, 2) and Western Michigan (9, 157, 3).
It wasn't near the banner season that Tate enjoyed last season, when he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver. One more year gives Floyd an opportunity to establish himself as one of the nation's best.
Floyd's big game was the opener of his sophomore season when he caught four passes for 189 yards and three TDs against Nevada.
He enters his senior season with 171 receptions for 2,539 yards and 28 TDs.