Can the Hurricanes flip Chaminade-Madonna stars Jeremiah Smith, Cedrick Bailey?

Chaminade-Madonna’s 47-7 win over Miami Archbishop Carroll in the Class 1M state semifinals on Friday may have been Jeremiah Smith’s last home game in South Florida.

Unless Mario Cristobal has anything to say about it.

The Hurricanes are still persistently recruiting the nation’s No. 1 prospect in the final weeks before the Early Signing Period, which begins on Dec. 20, hoping to get him to flip his commitment from Ohio State to the hometown program, which already has commitments from two of his teammates, Joshisa Trader and Zaquan Patterson.

Miami is making a late push for Smith and his teammate, quarterback Cedrick Bailey, who picked up an offer from the Hurricanes on Nov. 19. He showed off his chemistry with Bailey and Trader Friday night, catching a touchdown pass from Bailey and throwing a long pass to Trader on a trick play.

“That would definitely make (Miami) tempting,” Smith said. “That’s my high school quarterback; they’re my guys. I’ve been playing with them since I was 11 years old. So for us to play with each other in college, that would be something great for sure. Miami should have … offered (Bailey). They took too long. We’ve got to see how everything else plays out for him, too.”

First play of the game is a bomb from Jeremiah Smith — yes, Jeremiah Smith — to JoJo Trader. @joshisathe1 pic.twitter.com/1rkt5TwAWA

— Adam Lichtenstein (@ABLichtenstein) December 1, 2023

The Hurricanes will likely get an in-home visit with the star wide receiver before he puts pen to paper.

“We’ve just got to see how the home visit goes and everything else,” Smith said. “So we’ve just got to see.”

Ohio State won’t go down without a fight, though. They lost running back Mark Fletcher Jr. to the Hurricanes last year, and that paid immediate dividends for Miami. Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline, known for his ability to coach wide receivers and send them to the NFL, attended Chaminade’s win on Friday.

“It’s cool,” Smith said. “He came to a couple games last year, this is his second game this year. I’m just happy he came out, supporting me.”

N.C. State quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper also attended the game to watch Bailey, a three-star quarterback who has been committed to the Wolfpack since March.

“It felt great,” Bailey said. “It turned me up a little bit more. I wanted to put on a great game for coach (Roper) and show N.C. State what I’m really like.”

Flipping might be in the air in South Florida these days. The Hurricanes pulled off a recruiting coup on Wednesday, flipping five-star defensive tackle Justin Scott from the Buckeyes. 

“I didn’t expect that,” Smith said. “I had a little signs that he wasn’t too sure, but he had to do what’s best for him and his family. So I don’t blame him. If you were in his shoes, you’d do the same thing.”

The flip made some vocal Ohio State fans upset, and some of their comments left a bad taste in Smith’s mouth.

“That’s aggravating me,” Smith said. “You’re grown men. You’re sitting on Twitter all day, going after young kids who are just trying to chase their dreams and make it to college and possibly go to the NFL. You’re on Twitter, just going at kids. It ain’t helping nobody. It ain’t helping you. That kid’s going to college. You’re just sitting on the couch all day. That kid’s actually got something go for him.”

Before Bailey and Smith sign with their future schools, they have at least one more high school game left as they try to win the Lions’ third straight championship in their ninth straight state title game.

“It’s a whole family. It’s way too easy,” Bailey said. “We’re the best in the nation, and nobody can tell me otherwise.”

I’m real excited for signing day,” Bailey added, “but right now, I’m worried about states.”