- Jake Retzlaff plans to transfer from BYU, informing teammates and staff.
- Retzlaff faces a civil lawsuit alleging sexual assault, which he denies.
- BYU, aware of the lawsuit, adheres to privacy laws and won't comment further.
PROVO — Jake Retzlaff has seemed to have played his final snaps in a BYU uniform.
The rising fifth-year senior quarterback began informing players and coaching staff members of his plans to transfer, ESPN reported Sunday.
Retzlaff, who played two seasons in Provo — including a four-game redshirt campaign after transferring from two years in the California junior college system — had been the subject of a civil lawsuit filed by a Salt Lake woman who alleged the quarterback committed sexual assault after she was invited to his apartment to play video games.
The Corona, California, native who was widely promoted as BYU's first-ever Jewish stating quarterback filed a response to the allegations Friday in Utah's 3rd District Court, saying the sexual encounter was consensual and refuting "each and every allegation contained" in the initial lawsuit.
But Retzlaff was living under the school's honor code, which among other things prohibits premarital sex for all its students. Previous instances of transgressions against the school's honor code had led to multi-game suspensions for athletes.
Sources: BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff plans to transfer from the school and has begun informing the staff and players of his plan to leave. He'd been facing an Honor Code suspension tied to a civil suit that alleges he raped a woman. pic.twitter.com/YO5ZfooLCf
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 29, 2025
The most high-profile suspension came in 2011, when former star power forward Brandon Davies was suspended by the university after having consensual sex with his then-girlfriend. Since then, a number of reforms have been made to the honor code enforcement, including a provision that kept the university from speaking of the infractions publicly.
In a response to the original lawsuit, BYU said it was made aware of the civil lawsuit the morning before it was filed and released to the media. The university has not commented on the case since May 21.
"The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX," the statement included. "Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment."
Retzlaff graduated in April with a degree in exercise and wellness, and was set to be one of several key returners on a BYU team that finished the season with an 11-2 record and the No. 13 ranking in the final Associated Press Top 25.
The 6-foot-1 dual-threat signal caller threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions as a redshirt junior a year ago, when he also ran for 417 yards and six scores.
Backup quarterbacks behind Retzlaff include former Utah State starter McCae Hillstead, a redshirt-sophomore who prepped at Skyridge High; redshirt junior Treyson Bourguet, a Tucson native who transferred from Western Michigan; and former four-star recruit Bear Bachmeier from Murrieta, California, who threw 6,810 yards and 59 touchdowns in a high-profile career at Murrieta Valley High before signing with Stanford.
The 6-foot-2 incoming freshman transferred to BYU with older brother, Tiger, a standout wide receiver, after spring practices.
