Syracuse Football Has Red Zone Fever & the Only Prescription is Jamal Custis

Syracuse Orange football has not done well in the red zone. No, I mean they REALLY have not done well in the red zone.

The Orange is tied for the sixth-worst touchdown percentage in the red zone, finding the end zone on just 9-of-23 drives that have crossed the opposing 20-yard line through six games this season.

So what do we do? First of all, don't act like you know. Cause you don't know. But you know who does? Jamal Custis. Jamal Custis knows...

"Of course I'm thinking every time, 'Put me out there and I'm going to make a play,'" Custis said. "That's what I kind of look forward to, when we get to the red zone, and in the future I'm hoping that they put me out there."

Custis said that he has a close relationship with Long and that the two have spoken about red-zone opportunities since the hookup in practice two weeks ago.

Said Custis: "He was telling me, any time he sees me out there and there's a fade to me, he's just going to throw it up and let me go get it."

Speaking of A.J. Long, it's a foregone conclusion at this point that he's going to start against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Austin Wilson has yet to be cleared to practice as he recovers from a Dreaded Upper Body Injury and Tim Lester remarked Tuesday that if Wilson can't get enough practice reps, he won't play on Saturday. Meanwhile, Mitch Kimble is working with the second-team for the time being.

We're getting closer, you guys, I can feel it...

So close, @NunesMagician. So close. RT @Stephen_Bailey1: After Wilson's injury, Lester said Riley Dixon would've been the 3rd-string QB...

— Matthew McClusky (@MatthewMcClusky) October 11, 2014

Back to Long for a second, how did the would-be starter feel about his performance against Florida State?

"I'd grade it as a C, C-plus at best," Long said. "There were some good plays in there, but at the same time, watching the film, there's a lot of mental mistakes I made. Those are things I have to clean up and do better with so the offense doesn't struggle down the road."

To be fair, Carmelo Anthony would kill for C/C+.