The NCAA granted SMU’s Randy McKinnon an extra year of eligibility Tuesday through a medical hardship waiver, McKinnon said.

“It’s official,” McKinnon said. “We were waiting on the paperwork to go through, but that’s all done. I’ll be on the team again this fall.”

McKinnon transferred from Syracuse after earning his undergraduate degree in just three years and enrolled in SMU’s Masters of Liberal Studies program. McKinnon’s career as an SMU safety was cut short last year thanks to a knee injury he suffered in the Ponies’ victory over UAB in just the second game of the season. His case, McKinnon said, likely was helped by the fact that he never used a redshirt year when he was at Syracuse.

Randy McKinnon, who was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA after his 2010 season was cut short by a knee injury, will move from safety to linebacker in 2011 (photo by SMU athletics).

McKinnon said he never really got nervous about the outcome of the NCAA’s decision. Instead, it was the timing that concerned him.

“I was pretty confident, because I knew that even in the beginning, based on previous cases, there was no reason why they shouldn’t (grant the extra year of eligibility),” McKinnon said. “A lot of times, people were forgetting that I didn’t redshirt at Syracuse, so (the 2010 season) was like a redshirt, but for medical reasons. So I was pretty confident — it was just a matter of when (the NCAA would hand down its ruling).

“I had teammates at Syracuse who went through it before, so I felt like I would get the year. I just didn’t want to wait, and have the decision right before the season starts. But they put it through pretty quickly, and I got it.”

McKinnon, who will move to the SAM linebacker position in 2011, sat out the Ponies’ spring workouts while awaiting clearance — from the NCAA and from the SMU medical staff. He now has both.

“I’m fully cleared to do everything,” he said.

Since his arrival at SMU last year, McKinnon has added about 25 pounds of muscle, raising his weight to “about 228 or 230.” The extra weight, he said, has not hampered his rehabilitation work in the slightest.

“It’s weird to say this, with as much weight as I have put on, but this is the healthiest I have felt in a long time,” McKinnon said. “I feel like I’m more explosive now, even with 20 or 25 more pounds. When I was in rehab, I was working out three times every day — rehab is basically a workout, and then I would do more when I got home. Plus, I was eating healthy food, because I didn’t want to get out of shape when I came back.

“I feel faster than I did before. It’s not fun getting hurt, but the positive thing about the situation is that I feel more explosive. But I don’t think I have reached my maximum potential. I have more (explosiveness) to gain this summer.”

McKinnon said that while rehabilitating his knee, he took some inspiration from teammates Cole Loftin and Chayse Joubert, who also were coming back from knee injuries of their own.

“I did workouts on my legs I had never done before my injury, with some of the machines and exercises like leg raises with weights on my ankle,” he said. “Then I worked outside, focusing on things like balancing. (Loftin) was kind of my workout buddy. He was a couple of months ahead of me in his rehab, so he kind of became my motivation. I had to adjust and work hard, because I want to get up to where he is.

“I didn’t really see (wide receiver Kyle) Guinyard (who also is working his way back from a knee injury) a lot, but watching (Joubert) run … you would never even know he was hurt, he’s running so well. He and Cole — they look pretty healthy.

“I’ll wear (a knee brace) when we do more cutting and change-of-direction drills, but for straight-line running, I won’t wear it. But I’ll be talking with (trainers) Mike (Morton) and Josh (Stevens), evaluating it all the time. I’m going to be smart about it.

McKinnon will continue to work out throughout the summer in preparation for the Mustangs’ preseason camp in August … at which he’ll be playing a new position. Despite the fact that he sat out the team’s spring drills, McKinnon said he expects to be up to speed on his new position when he takes the field with his teammates.

“I know the whole playbook when it comes to the SAM position,” McKinnon said. “I was determined. The one thing I always wanted to make sure of was that if my opportunity came, I’d be prepared. You can only control what you can control, so I did a lot of mental reps.

“I stood behind the other linebackers — well, off to the side — and watched what they did, and took mental reps. Watching Vic (Victor Jones), Uchenna (Nwabuike), (Lincoln) Schick … I felt like I played all spring.

“For the most part, I feel like I got everything down. Now it’s just a matter of taking what I learned on the board (in the coaches’ offices) and at practice, and doing it on the field.”