Oklahoma defensive tackle Jacob Lacey confirmed Thursday that he will medically retire due to a recurrence of blood clots that put his career in jeopardy less than a year ago.

Lacey took to social media Thursday morning to confirm what Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said earlier this week on a podcast appearance was “probably” going to happen — that Lacey is done playing football amid health concerns. Venables first addressed the possibility during an appearance on The Oklahoma Breakdown, when he described the news as a “devastating blow” to the Sooners’ defense.

“I’ve have (sic) two pulmonary embolism incidents in less than a year,” Lacey posted. “Both times I was told I am lucky to be alive. The game I love was taken away from me, but I refuse to let it define me. Sooner nation, thank you for everything you have done for me and my family. God has a plan.”

The news of Lacey’s retirement comes just ahead of the start of Oklahoma’s spring practices next month, and it leaves a sizeable hole in the middle of the Sooners’ defensive line. A former transfer from Notre Dame, Lacey started 11 of Oklahoma’s 13 games at defensive tackle last season. He led all OU interior linemen in defensive snaps, with 385, and finished the season with 17 tackles, 2.5 for a loss and one sack.

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“He does all the little things right,” Venables said. “He’s in the gap, them getting knocked off the ball, all this movement. We had one of the best havoc ratings in all of college football last year; we led the nation with plays that we gave up either a tackle for loss or the net gain was 0. We were No. 1 in the nation in plays that were tackles for loss or plays the net gain was 0. He was a big part of that, along with our other guys up front, but he could do all those little things fundamentally and consistently that you got to do to win up front, so that was a blow.”

That Lacey was even able to play for Oklahoma last season was somewhat of a surprise. He dealt with blood clots in his lungs in the offseason, and his future on the field was in question, even as late as the start of fall practices. Despite the health issue, Lacey returned to the field even sooner than many expected. He saw the field in the Sooners’ season opener against Arkansas State, playing 15 snaps, and then started every other regular-season game at defensive tackle. The only other game he did not start was the bowl game against Arizona, when the Sooners only started three defensive linemen in a 3-3-5 formation.

Lacey’s retirement leaves Oklahoma without a projected starter at defensive tackle ahead of spring practices. Da’Jon Terry, another former transfer who is back for a sixth season, could take over that starting spot. He played the third-most snaps among Oklahoma defensive tackles last season (306), behind Lacey and Isaiah Coe, who has since graduated. Terry had 18 total tackles, with four for a loss and one sack last season.

Gracen Halton, a junior, could also see an increased role in the middle of the defense, while the Sooners may also have to rely more heavily on true freshmen such as former five-star prospect David Stone and four-star prospect Jayden Jackson.

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