Spanish Fort’s Cole McConathy can thank St. Michael coach and NFL legend Philip Rivers for putting him on the path to the University of Miami.

The Toros’ senior defensive edge flipped his commitment from Louisville to the Hurricanes earlier this week – in part due to a recommendation from Rivers.

“He stopped me after we played them, and we talked for a bit,” McConathy said of Rivers. “I felt like I played decent against them, but it wasn’t like I asked him to make any calls. He just picked up the phone and called Miami. I couldn’t tell you why. It was just God’s work. He has an unusual way of making things happen for our good.”

Class 6A Spanish Fort played Rivers and 4A St. Michael in a preseason game in August. The starters for both teams only played the first half, but the 6-foot-5 McConathy made enough plays to make an impression on Rivers.

“In that game, we were doubling him like crazy and he still got back to (quarterback) Gunner (Rivers) a few times,” Philip Rivers said. “Then he blocked a field goal. I was like, ‘Man, this guy is impressive.’”

Rivers has a connection to the Miami staff in senior football advisor Todd Stroud, who served on the N.C. State staff during Rivers’ playing career with the Wolfpack. He said he didn’t call Stroud specifically to talk about McConathy, but the subject came up the next time the two talked.

“I didn’t initiate the call,” Rivers said. I talk to Todd every now and then. He was at West Alabama at one point, and he knows the high schools here. We’ve kept in contact over the years.

“I don’t know how the subject came up, but I was like, ‘Holy smokes, Spanish Fort has a defensive end who is about the best looking player I’ve seen.’ He said he was going to check him out. Not long after that, he told me they were going after him.”

Rivers said his intent wasn’t necessarily lead McConathy to Miami.

“I just thought more schools should be knocking down the doors to get that guy,” he said.

McConathy indeed has been a terror for opposing offenses this season with 102 tackles, 30 tackles for a loss, 19 sacks and 37 quarterback hurries entering tonight’s second-round Class 6A playoff game at Pike Road.

He came in at No. 12 on AL.com’s revamped A-List of the top senior recruits in Alabama last week. He was unranked on the preseason list. McConathy said he visited several campuses this fall including Ole Miss, Auburn and USC. He visited Miami when the Hurricanes hosted Virginia.

“Miami is what did it for me,” he said. “There were a lot of reasons. Coach (Mario) Cristobal called me and recruited me himself. The whole staff is amazing. And I get to be coached by two NFL legends in Joe Salave’a and Jason Taylor. That’s pretty awesome.”

McConathy said some schools recruited him as a tight end, but the Hurricanes want the 225-pounder on defense. He said their scheme is similar to what the Toros run at Spanish Fort.

McConathy gave a nod to Rivers for his phone conversation with Stroud, but Rivers himself took no credit.

“The guy did that for himself,” he said. “He earned that opportunity.”

Ironically, McConathy attended a camp put on by Rivers in Baldwin County before he retired from the NFL and started his high school coaching career.