Poly Bowl: Miami signees weigh in on Cormani McClain situation

HONOLULU — Sunday was supposed to bring a resolution to the Cormani McClain saga, but the day McClain had said he would sign came and went and his situation is still up in the air.

For Miami signees Francis Mauigoa and Riley Williams, they are just like the rest of the Hurricanes fans, waiting patiently for the situation to resolve itself.

“I haven’t been talking to Cormani lately,” said Mauigoa, who is in Hawaii with Williams participating in this year’s Polynesian Bowl. “I’m just hoping the best for him. If he chooses to stay with us then that will be awesome. If he chooses Colorado or any other school then I hope the best for him.”

Both Williams and Mauigoa said McClain has always kept to himself during the recruiting process and isn’t as active in group texts or other forms of communication with the Class of 2023 commits and signees.

“He’s been silent lately,” Mauigoa said. “He’s just doing his own thing. I kind of give him his own space so he can figure stuff out on his own.”

Williams echoed that sentiment, saying it’s hard enough to make a college decision as a recruit and pressure from other prospects doesn’t help the process.

“At the end of the day, being a highly-ranked recruit, you just have to do what’s best for you,” Williams said. “If he doesn’t see a fit at Miami and wants to go somewhere else then all power to him.”

Mauigoa, who also strongly considered schools like Oregon and Tennessee, said he understands why playing for Deion Sanders at Colorado is an attractive option for McClain.

“I get it if he goes to Colorado,” Mauigoa said. “If I was a cornerback I would go to Colorado.”

Ultimately, McClain’s situation should resolve itself by the time Signing Day is over in February and Mauigoa said he won’t hold any ill will toward McClain.

“We don’t really force people to come if they don’t want to come,” he said. “If you don’t want to be great with us then so be it. If you wanna go be great somewhere else then that’s good, too.”

Mauigoa and Williams are both flying straight from Hawaii back to Miami and start classes in Coral Gables on Monday.