Spanish Fort’s Cole McConathy one win from national championship with Miami

SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) – A Baldwin County football journey that began more than a decade ago is now headed to college football’s biggest stage.

Former Spanish Fort standout Cole McConathy is one win away from a national championship with the Miami Hurricanes, and his rise started long before Friday night lights.

McConathy’s football journey started at just nine years old when he first suited up for Spanish Fort Youth Football. In his very first season, his team won the county Super Bowl, with McConathy earning defensive player of the game.

By the time he reached Spanish Fort High School, McConathy had become one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the state, piling up 92 tackles and 16 sacks his senior season after an even bigger junior year.

“He’s a dominant football player. He set the state record in sacks. I think he had seven and a half sacks in one game,” said his former head coach Chase Smith. “He was just a dominant player, just the type of kid he was, he was the hardest worker. He was a great leader. There was no entitlement. Sometimes you see that a little bit, and I think that made him work even harder.”

College recruitment and Miami commitment

That production earned national attention, a four-star rating from Rivals, and scholarship offers from programs across the country, but it was Miami that ultimately felt like the right fit.

“He just fell in love with Coach Cristobal and who he is, and his D-Line coach as well. He fell in love with the fit. Miami did a phenomenal job of making him feel valued and for who he was,” Smith said.

As a true freshman in 2024, McConathy began learning what it takes to compete at the Power Five level, seeing action in nine games during his debut collegiate season. His first career tackle came in a win over Florida State.

Now a sophomore, McConathy is part of a Miami defense that has powered the Hurricanes all the way to the national championship game.

“Just super proud for him. Just seeing firsthand his work ethic. The success he’s had is all because of him as a young man, his talent, the leadership qualities, and for that to pay off on such a grand stage, it’s an unbelievable opportunity for him,” Smith said.

Cole and the Miami Hurricanes will play for the national championship against No. 1 Indiana on Monday, January 19th, with a chance to cap off a journey that began in Spanish Fort.

His parents, Theresa and Adam, will be traveling to Miami for the game.

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