Tensions Rise for Cormani McClain as Billy Napier’s Controversial Antics Give Florida CB’s Future an Unexpected Turn

The Florida Gators have sprawled out the swampy waters and are breathing some fresh, spring oxygen. After a slow start, Billy Napier‘s unit turned things around at the business end last season. 8-5. is a respectable record within the cannibalistic SEC. Certainly when you account for their treacherous schedule. Florida’s upturn coincided with true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway being shoved into the backfield as a bit of a messiah. He delivered on his promise. On the other side of the football, another new face albeit with much more tempered expectations was subjected to the shadow realm. But after a difficult ascension from high school to CFB, cornerback Cormani McClain’s time in the sun is here. But while the sun can guide you with its light, it can also burn…

5-star Cormani McClain was numero uno among cornerback prospects in his class of ’23. As was the case with most of America that year, McClain was attracted towards Boulder, Colorado by the magnetism and halo of Deion Sanders. That halo dissipated very quickly though from McClain’s POV. Became devil horns rather. Deion basically had to banish the CB from his Buffs team, owing to persistent disciplinary issues. He was allegedly late to meetings and didn’t learn the playbook either. A fork in the road came, and McClain parted ways with Coach Prime. He hit the transfer portal and came over to Gainsville, FL. After an entire season biding his time in Florida, which saw him feature in merely 2 games, McClain has seemingly matured. Things are clicking, and how.

23 mph is what Cormani McClain clocked during the first week of spring camp. Breaching this figure after having gained 20 lb of muscle epitomizes the turnaround in McClain’s young career. Those behavioral issues from Colorado actually followed him to Florida last season. But he’s evolved past them.  An epiphany, a eureka moment, can come at any time. McClain’s seemingly had his. “He’s completely turned it around since then. Cormani McClain a year ago is completely different than Cormani McClain now. He’s showing up on time,” said Gators’ insider Cam Parker in light of his escapades in spring camp.

Things are trending well, but one Florida fan thinks it’s all too good to be true. With McClain’s end of the bargain fulfilled, they believe Billy Napier will let the player down. “Cormani is playing for the same miserable coach who is going to detour his career,” said content creator DJ BlessOne. He expanded on his disdain for the head coach and didn’t mince words.

“Billy Napier [not getting fired] is not news to me. Most mayo coaches will keep a job for 5, 6, 7, or 8 years. They can lose all season and still keep a job. Meanwhile, every year, Deion Sanders’ job is in danger,” relayed BlessOne over his IsmokeHiphop Live YouTube channel.

Napier indeed has flirted with losing his job and come really close, too. Despite hovering sub .500 for large chucks of 2024, there are a couple of prominent reasons why Billy Napier was afforded a shot at redemption. Firstly, his players didn’t down tools and continued honoring their head coach on the gridiron every Saturday. But more importantly, the program didn’t have a permanent president in the capacity. This meant pulling the trigger on Napier’s $51.8 million couldn’t be authorized.

The racial undertones that BlessOne is implying with “mayo” coaches can’t be confirmed or thwarted. But the elephant in the room needs addressing. BlessOne doesn’t rate Napier. However, why does he think Napier will “detour” Cormani McClain’s career? It’s not just because of a lack of coaching acumen. BlessOne believes there’s a bit of personal friction between the two that dates back to before McClain even came to the Swamp.

Cormani McClain’s history with Billy Napier and the Gators becomes a potential thorn in his side

“Cormani McClain makes the same mistake that most of our melanated players make. They go play for these mayo coaches who don’t give a damn about them” said DJ BlessOne. He even explicitly stated how the stuff about McClain being late to meetings could well be manufactured fallacies. Alas, he proceeded to state why he believes McClain’s career is under threat from Billy Napier. It stems from him “rejecting” Florida out of high school and how it transpired.

“Billy Napier keeps tabs on players who crossed him wrong. When Cormani McClain was getting recruited by Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes, a lot of the recruiting analysts already dropped the bag. They said that Cormani was playing Florida and Miami against each other,” said BlessOne. He mentioned how he “doesn’t know how true this is. But all the experts were saying it,” Whether McClain pitted the two rivals against each other in a bidding war, for NIL or otherwise, remains unproven conjecture. “You’re telling me coach Billy Napier is not going to remember when Cormani rejected them?” asked BlessOne.

This take on Napier and McClain casts a cloud over what seemed to be a largely positive period in Gainesville. For now, the overarching message of Billy Napier “keeping tabs” on the past remains pure speculation. However, there is no smoke without fire. The progress Cormani McClain makes over the rest of the off-season will hopefully clear the air.

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