Subscribe
Follow Us
Recently, the BYU football program has gone through some upheaval after its headline quarterback, Jake Retzlaff, was caught in controversy. Retzlaff was accused of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit that was brought against him; however, the lawsuit was dismissed. Retzlaff admitted to violating the honor code despite the dismissal and has stepped away from the program.
BYU has a strict honor code that students sign and agree to before enrolling. Retzlaff was facing a seven-game suspension after he admitted to premarital sex. So, he decided to step away from the BYU football program and enroll in a new school instead of entering the transfer portal. Retzlaff released a statement for the first time, saying he is grateful for his time in Provo but excited about what's next.
“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,” Retzlaff said.
“BYU has meant more to me than just football. It's been a place of growth — spiritually, mentally, and physically. I'm grateful for every teammate, coach, staff member, and fan who's supported me. The relationships and memories I've made in Provo will always be a part of me.”
According to ESPN, Retzlaff does not plan to enter the transfer portal and instead intends to enroll in a different school. This path is not without precedent, as defensive back Xavier Lucas left Wisconsin in the winter and enrolled at Miami. The difference with this path is that teams are not allowed to contact him directly, but can reach out to different people in his camp.
Before this statement was released, there was a lot of confusion about what exactly was going to happen with Retzlaff and the BYU football program, which only addressed it once with head coach Kalani Sitake saying how much he loves Retzlaff, but does not want to comment on the situation before he does.
“First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff,” Sitake said. “We love Jake Retzlaff and appreciate all he's done for our program. I think it would be inappropriate to first state his situation. I think that is his right. I think it is a private matter that he can speak for himself. I am going to allow him to do that.”
The departure of Retzlaff is a massive hole for the BYU offense, which has many pieces to like. He was the key after throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with a 57.9% completion percentage. It leaves a lot of questions for both of us as we prepare for the 2025 season.
