When Francis “Cisi” Mauigoa committed to Miami on July 4, 2022, it represented a new era for Miami football. In the two decades prior, the Canes struggled to land elite offensive linemen. The performance on the field was equally abysmal. Mario Cristobal changed that narrative immediately with Mauigoa's commitment, and Mauigoa backed it up as one of the best blockers in college football.
On The Walk Podcast, the Miami Hurricanes junior opened up about growing up in American Samoa, chasing football across the Pacific, and why every snap he plays for Miami carries the weight of family, faith, and survival. What came through most was that for Mauigoa, football was never just football — it was the path to something bigger.
Francis grew up in a place where the game is a way out.
“I grew up poor,” he said. “The minimum wage back home was like $5 an hour. You can’t make a living off that. So most kids, they play football just to get an opportunity to get a scholarship from anywhere so they can come to the mainland.”
In Samoa, the hunger is literal.
“I’ve seen kids share mouthpieces just to get into the game,” Mauigoa said. “I’ve seen kids cut up their slippers just to make thigh pads and knee pads just to get into the game because the love for the game.”
It was always about more than wins.
“It’s either football or the army,” he said. “Football was more of a funner way to provide for our family because we love hitting, we love playing, and we love being physical.”
That mindset formed early. Mauigoa didn’t wait to grow into the sport.
“I started playing high school football in sixth grade,” he said. “I was about six foot already. I told my mom and dad, ‘Put me with the high school kids.’”
It wasn’t easy.
“I was getting bullied,” he admitted. “But when I got to high school, I was like, ‘I can bully now because I already got bullied by kids way older than me.’”
When he left Samoa for California at 13, it came with tears and pressure.
“Nothing hurts more than seeing your mom cry,” Mauigoa said. “They took a big toll letting us leave the island. We had to come home with something.”
He was homesick immediately.
“The second day, I was homesick,” he said. “Not just the food — my parents, my family.”
But he kept grinding.
“We were sent to California to play football,” he said. “Defeat was not in our system.”
When COVID hit, he went back home — and brought what he learned with him.
“Back home it was all power, big and strong kids, but no speed,” Mauigoa said. “I was like, that’s what we're missing.”
Mauigoa honed his athleticism and developed into one of the best offensive linemen in the country. Now, he sees himself as someone who has to give back.
“God gave us a purpose,” he said. “We went back to teach kids what football is like in America.”
That sense of responsibility followed him to Miami, where he plays alongside his brother, current New York Jets linebacker Francisco "Kiko" Mauigoa.
“He’s been my best friend my whole life,” Mauigoa said. “When we went to Cali, he was the only guy I had.”
Even language barriers were handled together.
“When the counselor called me, I just looked at my brother like, ‘What did they say?’” he said.
Now, they sharpen each other.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Mauigoa said. “If we're on the same team, we’re gonna push each other until we’re the best.”
That toughness comes from home.
“We don’t like showing weakness,” he said. “I had a cousin dislocate his shoulder and stay in the game because he didn’t want his mom to pull him out.”
If kids back home can fight through that, he said, there’s no excuse here.
Faith ties it all together.
He explained that the moment he truly fell in love with his faith came during worship, when he first heard “Lion of Judah.”
“We was singing Lion of Judah,” Mauigoa said. “I started lifting my hands. It was a new feeling. It was like the Holy Ghost just touched me at that moment.”
The next song changed him just as deeply.
“The song we sang next was Nara by Travis Greene,” he said. “Something about that song just changed my whole mindset."
From that day forward, football became worship.
“Those two songs are the first two songs I listen to before the game,” Mauigoa said. “Every time.”
“I walk a lap around the stadium,” he said. “That’s my worship. Then I go to the middle of the field, take a knee, and I pray, ‘Lord, bless both sides of the ball.’”
He does not pray for victory, but for health.
“I pray for no injuries,” Mauigoa said. “I pray for safety. No weapons formed against us shall prosper.”
Football, to him, is worship.
“These are the talents God gave us,” he said. “I’m gonna use it to glorify Him.”
Even his future is framed that way.
“The ultimate goal is always to provide for my family,” Mauigoa said. “I’m not a scholar. Football is how I can provide. So I’m gonna work as hard as I can.”
On The Walk Podcast, the Miami Hurricanes junior opened up about growing up in American Samoa, chasing football across the Pacific, and why every snap he plays for Miami carries the weight of family, faith, and survival. What came through most was that for Mauigoa, football was never just football — it was the path to something bigger.
Francis grew up in a place where the game is a way out.
“I grew up poor,” he said. “The minimum wage back home was like $5 an hour. You can’t make a living off that. So most kids, they play football just to get an opportunity to get a scholarship from anywhere so they can come to the mainland.”
In Samoa, the hunger is literal.
“I’ve seen kids share mouthpieces just to get into the game,” Mauigoa said. “I’ve seen kids cut up their slippers just to make thigh pads and knee pads just to get into the game because the love for the game.”
It was always about more than wins.
“It’s either football or the army,” he said. “Football was more of a funner way to provide for our family because we love hitting, we love playing, and we love being physical.”
That mindset formed early. Mauigoa didn’t wait to grow into the sport.
“I started playing high school football in sixth grade,” he said. “I was about six foot already. I told my mom and dad, ‘Put me with the high school kids.’”
It wasn’t easy.
“I was getting bullied,” he admitted. “But when I got to high school, I was like, ‘I can bully now because I already got bullied by kids way older than me.’”
When he left Samoa for California at 13, it came with tears and pressure.
“Nothing hurts more than seeing your mom cry,” Mauigoa said. “They took a big toll letting us leave the island. We had to come home with something.”
He was homesick immediately.
“The second day, I was homesick,” he said. “Not just the food — my parents, my family.”
But he kept grinding.
“We were sent to California to play football,” he said. “Defeat was not in our system.”
When COVID hit, he went back home — and brought what he learned with him.
“Back home it was all power, big and strong kids, but no speed,” Mauigoa said. “I was like, that’s what we're missing.”
Mauigoa honed his athleticism and developed into one of the best offensive linemen in the country. Now, he sees himself as someone who has to give back.
“God gave us a purpose,” he said. “We went back to teach kids what football is like in America.”
That sense of responsibility followed him to Miami, where he plays alongside his brother, current New York Jets linebacker Francisco "Kiko" Mauigoa.
“He’s been my best friend my whole life,” Mauigoa said. “When we went to Cali, he was the only guy I had.”
Even language barriers were handled together.
“When the counselor called me, I just looked at my brother like, ‘What did they say?’” he said.
Now, they sharpen each other.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Mauigoa said. “If we're on the same team, we’re gonna push each other until we’re the best.”
That toughness comes from home.
“We don’t like showing weakness,” he said. “I had a cousin dislocate his shoulder and stay in the game because he didn’t want his mom to pull him out.”
If kids back home can fight through that, he said, there’s no excuse here.
Faith ties it all together.
He explained that the moment he truly fell in love with his faith came during worship, when he first heard “Lion of Judah.”
“We was singing Lion of Judah,” Mauigoa said. “I started lifting my hands. It was a new feeling. It was like the Holy Ghost just touched me at that moment.”
The next song changed him just as deeply.
“The song we sang next was Nara by Travis Greene,” he said. “Something about that song just changed my whole mindset."
From that day forward, football became worship.
“Those two songs are the first two songs I listen to before the game,” Mauigoa said. “Every time.”
“I walk a lap around the stadium,” he said. “That’s my worship. Then I go to the middle of the field, take a knee, and I pray, ‘Lord, bless both sides of the ball.’”
He does not pray for victory, but for health.
“I pray for no injuries,” Mauigoa said. “I pray for safety. No weapons formed against us shall prosper.”
Football, to him, is worship.
“These are the talents God gave us,” he said. “I’m gonna use it to glorify Him.”
Even his future is framed that way.
“The ultimate goal is always to provide for my family,” Mauigoa said. “I’m not a scholar. Football is how I can provide. So I’m gonna work as hard as I can.”
