Jake Retzlaff commits to Tulane after school vets ex-BYU QB, Title IX case that led to departure

Former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff has verbally committed to Tulane, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz confirms. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Tulane spent more than a week vetting Retzlaff, including a review by the university's Title IX office of the case that led to his departure from BYU. With less than two months remaining until the start of the 2025 season, Tulane is moving quickly to integrate Retzlaff as the likely starting quarterback.

Retzlaff made the decision to withdraw from BYU after facing a seven-game suspension related to a violation of the school's honor code. That suspension stemmed from allegations of sexual assault, which were later dismissed in a civil lawsuit, and BYU's strict policy prohibiting premarital sex, a rule Retzlaff admitted to violating.

Rather than entering the transfer portal, Retzlaff chose to withdraw from school entirely, a rare move prompted by BYU's refusal to grant him a release as a designated athlete. This path forced him to start anew, with Tulane emerging as his destination following a thorough vetting process.

On the field, Retzlaff was a dynamic and versatile leader for BYU last season, passing for nearly 3,000 yards and rushing for mor than 400 yards while accounting for 26 total touchdowns. His dual-threat ability and playmaking skills made him one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects available this offseason.

Tulane hopes Retzlaff's arrival will address longstanding questions at the quarterback position and provide a significant boost to the Green Wave offense as they prepare for the 2025 season.

The quarterback outlook at Tulane has shifted dramatically this offseason since Darian Mensah, last year's starter, left for Duke on a deal believed to pay him $8 million over two years. The Green Wave quickly brought in journeyman quarterback TJ Finley, who previously logged stints at LSU (2020), Auburn (2021-22), Texas State (2023) and Western Kentucky (2024). But his time at Tulane was short-lived. Finley left the program after being suspended indefinitely following an April arrest.

Other quarterbacks on Tulane's 2025 roster heading into fall camp include Illinois transfer Donovan Leary, Ball State transfer Kadin Semonza and Iowa transfer Brendan Sullivan, who started three games for the Hawkeyes last season after making eight starts over two years at Northwestern.