The Florida Gators, before going for a bye week, registered their worst opening stretch since 1986. They are 1-3 after their latest loss against the No.4 Miami Hurricanes by 7-26. Despite the loss, the Gators made Miami struggle at times. Cormani McClain, the redshirt sophomore DB, played a major role in trying to stop Carson Beck. He had three tackles and an interception. Florida Insider also reported that Cormani was Florida’s highest graded player vs Miami, with a PFF grade of 84.9. 

Cormani has been slowly increasing his presence on the gridiron. In the four games he has played, the DB has had 136 snaps. In the game against LIU, he logged 29 snaps (18 on defense and 11 on special teams). In the game against USF, he had 43 snaps (32 on defense, and a solo tackle for one-yard loss). In the game against LSU, McClain earned his first start and recorded 3 tackles. Seeing the progress, coach Billy Napier praised Cormani for his efforts and who he has become.

Napier had a press conference earlier today (September 29, 2025), ahead of their Week 6 game against the Texas Longhorns. “It’s a great story. I think the guy has really matured,” Napier said. Last year, Cormani was reported to have disciplinary issues that literally limited his opportunities. He only got featured in 4 games, where he showcased a decent performance. In the first game as the Gator, he snagged an interception and rushed 29 yards for a TD. In the game against Georgia, he had 4 tackles and 0.5 TFLs. He then started as the cornerback against Texas. However, he wasn’t featured the rest of the season.

The coach explained how he transformed himself in the off-season and the abilities he developed. “He’s become more dependable, more accountable,” claiming that those are “the abilities that matter when you’re as talented as he is.” He said that the DB worked hard in the off-season, taking the feedback seriously to evolve significantly. “This is the guy who took the feedback from last year. He’s evolved.” It seems like his hard work and dedication have finally paid off, as he looks to rewrite his reputation.

Cormani McClain’s New Look

It appears the transformation is not simply on the inside as McClain has chopped his dreads off. He will be showing up with his new look this Wednesday. Napier said that he looks good and is trying to create a name for himself. “Yeah, good look in his eye. He’s cleaned up his life. A lot of positive here and a huge ceiling, right in terms of what this guy can become.” The coach said, “I’m proud of him, but you know it’s important for him to continue that trend.”

This offseason, Cormani also went through a serious physical transformation. On August 19, LockedOnBuffs tweeted, “Cormani McClain seems to have figured things out at Florida. Went from being listed as 165 pounds at Colorado to 189 pounds at Florida.” McClain added 20 pounds to his scale and had hit a top speed of 23 mph.

The next showdown for Cormani takes place this week on October 4, when the Gators host Texas at the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. This is a must-win game for the Gators. In fact, every game in their lineup is a must-win. Will the new and updated version of Cormani, and the hard work the Gators put in the bye week, help them bounce back? We need to wait and watch.