Last season, it was junior quarterback Alex Smith who led the SUNY-Cortland Red Dragons (8–1, 6–1 NJAC) to a 37–30 overtime victory in the Cortaca Jug.

This year, after both Smith and second-string sophomore quarterback Ray Miles suffered season-ending injuries, the quarterback position is an ominous question mark.

Red Dragons Head Coach Dan MacNeill has to choose between senior Bryan Shea or freshman Sean Pratt, who have combined to throw all of 10 passes this season. MacNeill already has his game- day starter pegged. It’s just not information for public consumption, he said.

Not that MacNeill thinks it gives his team a pronounced edge.

“They haven’t seen either guy particularly much on tape, so I don’t think there’s any advantage at all,” he said. “The stress is on us, not them.”

Given the playoff scenarios surrounding the Red Dragons, you can’t blame MacNeill for feeling the heat.

If Rowan University defeats conference opponent William Patterson College (1–8, 1–5 NJAC) tomorrow, Cortland’s hopes of a conference title and automatic bid will fall by the wayside. Saturday’s Cortaca showdown will mean more to the Red Dragons than the hype and public drunkenness that characterizes the rivalry.

“There are only so many at-large bids,” MacNeill said. “There are a lot of one-loss teams out there. If you are a one-loss team in a conference that has been represented well in the NCAA’s in the past, you have a shot. I think all [a loss] does is put us in harm’s way.”

Also in harm’s way for the Red Dragons is the Bombers offense, whose performance against Alfred University last Saturday won’t intimidate a stingy Cortland defense led by senior defensive back Stef Sair.

Sair, who almost single-handedly beat the Bombers last season with two interceptions and a blocked extra point returned to the house, is the playmaker on the Red Dragon defensive unit.

MacNeill said his stout run defense, which has allowed only 83.8 yards per game, is the most well-rounded unit he has coached in his 10 years at the helm of the Red Dragons.

Welch understands the challenges facing his offense.

“It’s going to be the toughest test for our offense this season,” Ithaca Head Coach Mike Welch said. “They are going to be very tough on the pass rush, and they have very good team speed.”

With an inexperienced quarterback being thrown into the fire, senior free safety Charlie Stephens said rattling the unnamed signal caller early will be crucial to the Bombers’ defensive success.

“When it gets started with 15,000 fans in front of him, I think he’s going to get a little bit rattled,” Stephens said. “We’re probably going to bring a little extra pressure just to confuse him, disguise coverage and everything. It’s definitely going to be a great challenge for him.”

With Smith and Miles on the sideline, the onus is on Cortland’s mystery quarterback — whomever he may be.