Syracuse punter having brain surgery

Published Oct. 11, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Syracuse punter Rob Long is having brain surgery Tuesday to remove a benign tumor.

The operation will be performed in Philadelphia, and the senior captain says the outpouring of support he's received has been overwhelming.

Long notified the Syracuse sports medicine staff that he had been experiencing headaches for several weeks and an MRI performed Dec. 2 revealed the tumor.

Long finishes his Syracuse career ranked second on the school's career punting average list at 43.3 yards per punt. That ranks ninth among active punters in the Football Bowl Subdivision.