Quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who led Brigham Young University to an 11-2 season last year before a lawsuit alleging rape was filed in the spring, is transferring to Tulane University.
Retzlaff made a verbal commitment to Tulane, according to ESPN. The Deseret News reported that it confirmed Retzlaff’s plans to enter the New Orleans college after previously announcing that he would leave BYU.
Tulane said that it investigated the rape allegations against Retzlaff, ESPN reported.
Retzlaff will enroll in Tulane and will technically be a walk-on when he tries out for the starting spot. Former Tulane quarterback TJ Finley transferred this spring after an arrest, leading the college to recruit three other transfers to fill the void.
ESPN reported that Retzlaff has been told he is not assured the starting spot. However, he has a positive and long relationship with Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall.
In May, a civil suit was filed alleging that Retzlaff raped and strangled a woman in 2023 at his Provo, Utah, home.
Although the suit was dismissed on June 30, after both sides agreed to the dismissal, Retzlaff’s admission of having premarital sex in his response to the lawsuit meant he violated BYU’s honor code. That meant he would be suspended for the first seven games of this season, according to the New York Post.
Several days after the suit was settled, Retzlaff announced he was leaving BYU.
“After a lot of prayer, reflection, and conversations with those I trust, I’ve made the difficult decision to officially withdraw from BYU and step away from the BYU Football program,” he wrote on Instagram earlier this month.
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“I’m excited to turn the page and embrace this next chapter,” he wrote. “My journey is far from over — and I’m more motivated than ever to keep chasing my dreams.”
In response, the college issued a statement that said, “We are grateful for the time Jake Retzlaff has spent at BYU. As he moves forward, BYU Athletics understands and respects Jake’s decision to withdraw from BYU, and we wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his career.”
Last year, Retzlaff threw for almost 3,000 yards with 26 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. In May, a lawsuit against the Jewish athlete said he had sex with her against her will.
“A year and half after the rape and strangulation, Jane Doe A.G. continues to experience extreme post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma symptoms as she works to process what happened and move on,” the lawsuit said, as reported by ESPN.
The suit added, “At some point after speaking to the police, an officer reached out to her asking for the name because someone else filed a complaint against a football player and the police wanted to see if it was the same person.”
“At that point Jane Doe A.G. shared Retzlaff’s name, and the Provo police then encouraged her not to do anything because, as they claimed, ‘sexual assault victims never get justice,’” the lawsuit continued.
Provo police later denied they discouraged the woman from filing a complaint. At the time the suit was filed, Retzlaff, through an attorney, denied the allegation.
However, Retzlaff said he had consensual sex with the woman, as noted by ESPN, which led to the discipline imposed by the college.
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