More 4: T.Y. Hilton sticks by FIU

FIU football fans have reason to smile: T.Y. Hilton, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, will be back wearing jersey #4 for his senior season this year, skipping the NFL Draft at this time.

Photo: Sam Lewis.

Hilton, a.k.a. Goodbye, made the news official on Jan. 12.

“In the past three years we’ve accomplished a lot as a team, including winning aSun Belt Conference championship as well as picking up our first-ever bowl victory,” he said in a statement. “I believe with the talent we have coming back, we can accomplish much more in the coming season.

“It is also very important for me to get my degree, which I’m on track to complete by December 2011.”

Hilton referenced a promise he made to his coach, Mario Cristobal, which he said he intends to keep.

“At this time I cannot reveal what that promise was,” he teased, “but when the time is right, everyone will know. I would like to thank my family, my teammates and my coaches, as well as my loyal fans, for helping me reach this decision. I look forward to another great season of Panther football in 2011.”

A former Freshman All-American, Hilton is already the university’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 5,602. This season, he led the Panthers with 59 catches for 848 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for 282 yards and four scores. Perhaps the biggest game of his career came against ULM on Nov. 6, when he amassed 291 all-purpose yards and scored four touchdowns, two on receptions, one rushing and one on a kick return.