Syracuse senior punter Rob Long will have surgery to remove a benign brain tumor, according to a press release from the university’s athletic department.

The surgery will force Long to miss the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 30, the final game of Long’s Syracuse football career.

Long will not practice with the team leading up to the bowl game at Yankee Stadium, in which the Orange will face Kansas State (3:30 p.m., ESPN), according to the release. The tumor was revealed in an MRI performed on Dec. 2. Long informed the Syracuse sports medicine staff that he was experiencing headaches for several weeks leading up to the MRI, according to the release.

Long ends his Syracuse career second in yards per punt (43.3), behind only Sean Reali. He started for the Orange at punter for all 48 of his collegiate games, from 2007-10, totaling 11,381 yards. That mark is also good for second best in school history, behind former SU punter Brendan Carney.

In 2010, Long punted 64 times for a total of 2,806 yards. He averaged 43.8 yards per attempt, second in the Big East.

The news of Long’s benign brain tumor and the imminent surgery comes after Long was absent from the football program’s initial Pinstripe Bowl press conference last Friday. Long was originally scheduled to partake in the media opportunity alongside SU head coach Doug Marrone and Long’s fellow 2010 SU captains, Derrell Smith and Ryan Bartholomew. Marrone, Bartholomew and Smith attended the event. Long did not.

There was no news of Long’s condition or why he was absent from the press conference at the time. Marrone has not commented as of Monday night.

Long commented regarding the news via his Twitter account Monday evening:

‘Thank you for all the support and prayers it is all appreciated by me and my family,’ Long wrote. ‘We are staying strong and positive for a full recovery.’

Long soon followed up the first Twitter post with another. He promised he will be with the Orange for the Pinstripe Bowl.

‘I will be in NYC on December 30 with my teammates at Yankee stadium,’ Long wrote. ‘I refuse to let anything keep me from being there.’

aolivero@syr.edu

Published on December 6, 2010 at 12:00 pm