NORMAN, Okla. -- Oklahoma freshman defensive end D.J. Ward will be out indefinitely after having his spleen removed Tuesday morning, coach Bob Stoops announced on Tuesday.
"That's usually a six-week recovery, give or take," Stoops said. "We'll just have to wait and see. He had an enlarged spleen, it really had nothing to do with contact but they felt they had to remove it."
It's a unfortunate setback for Ward, who is facing a second straight season without playing football. A February signee, Ward missed his senior season of high school football after he was ruled ineligible after changing schools following his junior season.
Ward, a true freshman, enrolled early to participate in spring football but wasn't cleared to practice until late in the spring, missing the majority of spring drills, though he did participate in the spring game.
Nonetheless, Stoops refused to slot Ward into a redshirt season.
"Way too early to say that," Stoops said when asked if Ward was destined to redshirt. "We're still two-and-a-half weeks from the season, so not necessarily."
Ward is a four-star recruit out of Moore, Okla./Southmoore High School and the No. 137 player in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2013.
