Hurricanes turn up the heat on local blue-chip stars in recruiting battle

​The idea that Miami was just going to let two of the top prospects in the area head to Texas without a fight was seriously misguided. 

There was never a doubt that the Hurricanes staff were going to press Derrek Cooper and James Johnson and the chances of them flipping at least one of them is pretty high.

This is not new territory for Mario Cristobal or his staff. They have always been waiting for the right time to turn the recruitments of Cooper and Johnson in their favor. It's a process that requires some patience and a strong stomach.

It was hard for fans to watch what happened over the summer: Johnson made a commitment to Georgia first and then flipped to Texas. Cooper is rumored to Miami for a long time and then Texas jumps in late and steals him. The backlash at the time was a real thing. How could Miami let these two potential program-changing athletes go somewhere else?

But there was never much panic from the Hurricanes staff. They knew that the Notre Dame game was always in their back pocket. It's a Sunday night game that will have the attention of the entire college football world. It's a great opportunity for both prospects to see the Hurriicanes mystique in its fullest form against a hated opponent that is highly ranked.  

The comfort of home is hard to ignore

It makes sense that Johnson says the Hurricanes are heavy on his heart. He's playing at Northwestern High School, a program that has supplied talent for college football programs around the nation, but also one that is very authentic to the city of Miami. There have been numerous Northwestern Bulls that turned into Miami Hurricanes. The alumni base from that high school are passionate about living in Miami. They embrace the culture of the city. It's their identity. It's their home.

​Cristobal knows there's something special about being successful in the city you grew up in. He is a Miami guy. He went to Columbus High School before playing for the Hurricanes. Cristobal can articulate this to Johnson and Cooper like few others. He will try to convince them that they are next in line for Hurricane greatness, and they can perform in their city in front of the people that grew up around them.

The recruiting battle for Johnson and Cooper is just beginning. Johnson is also looking hard at the Florida Gators and Cooper was very open to Georgia and even FSU before choosing the Longhorns. But location alone gives Miami regular access to both prospects and when the smoke clears don't be surprised if home is where they want to be.