Jake Retzlaff Transfers to Tulane Amid BYU Suspension and Legal Scrutiny

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Former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff has officially committed to transfer to Tulane University, where he is expected to join the football team as a walk-on and compete for the starting job. The transfer marks a significant and unusual chapter in Retzlaff’s college football career, following his recent suspension at BYU and a dismissed lawsuit involving a serious allegation. Retzlaff, who withdrew from BYU on July 11, had been suspended by the university for seven games after acknowledging premarital sex, a violation of BYU’s Honor Code. This admission came as part of his legal response to a 2023 rape accusation, which he fully denied. The case was ultimately dismissed with prejudice on June 30, meaning it cannot be reopened. Tulane University conducted an extensive background check before accepting Retzlaff, including a review by the school's Title IX office. Despite his legal clearance and lack of criminal charges, the university took additional steps to ensure the transfer aligned with institutional standards. Retzlaff is expected to enroll soon and will not be on scholarship initially. The quarterback’s move to Tulane is unconventional in its mechanics. Because he withdrew after the transfer portal window closed and did not qualify as a graduate transfer, Retzlaff will bypass the portal entirely. He will enroll directly as a walk-on, making this one of the rare late-summer quarterback moves by a player with starting experience in a Power Five conference.

At BYU, Retzlaff started all 13 games in 2024, compiling an 11–2 record while throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. His completion percentage was 57.9%, with 12 interceptions. Before transferring to BYU, he played two seasons in junior college and redshirted in 2023 despite starting four games late in the season. Tulane’s quarterback room remains unsettled following the offseason departure of Darian Mensah to Duke and the spring exit of TJ Finley after legal issues. The Green Wave have since added multiple transfers: Brendan Sullivan from Iowa, Kadin Semonza from Ball State, and Donovan Leary from Illinois. None of these quarterbacks were enrolled before January, leaving the starting position wide open for fall camp.