Former Cortland State quarterback and current graduate assistant coach Alex Smith has been cleared by the NCAA to return to the Red Dragons' active playing roster this season.

The NCAA has granted Smith the opportunity to use his final season of playing eligibility despite being in his 11th full-time semester as a college student. NCAA Division III rules normally allow student-athletes only 10 full-time semesters in which to play four seasons.

Smith started for Cortland in 2004, 2005 and 2006, although his 2006 season was cut short due to injury in the Red Dragons' sixth game. He also started the opening game of the 2007 season, but was injured in that contest and missed the rest of the year. He received a medical hardship to retain his eligibility from that season.

Smith elected not to play in 2008, but instead served as a volunteer assistant coach. He began this season as a graduate assistant with the team coaching wide receivers and punt and kickoff returners. He was allowed to practice with the Red Dragons this past week, but is not expected to be in uniform on Saturday when Cortland plays at Buffalo State. Smith will be added to the team roster for the Oct. 10 game at Montclair State.

Dan Pitcher, Cortland's starting quarterback at the season's outset, suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon injury on Sept. 19 versus Rowan. Junior Hudson Woodward started for the Red Dragons against Kean on Sept. 26 and is the projected starter for Cortland's game at Buffalo State.

A 2004 Niagara-Wheatfield High School graduate, Smith ranks fourth at Cortland with 35 career touchdown passes, fifth with 355 completions and sixth with 4,420 career passing yards. He holds a share of the school single-game record for touchdown passes with five versus Kean as a freshman in 2004. Smith is a 2004 Niagara-Wheatfield High School graduate.