Who is Jake Retzlaff? Tulane QB, BYU transfer leads Green Wave into CFP
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Tulane football is in the the College Football Playoff, and its reward is a rematch with an Ole Miss team that beat the Green Wave 45-10 earlier this season.
In that game, Tulane QB Jake Retzlaff — like the rest of the team — struggled mightily, completed just 5-of-17 passes for 56 yards.
But the former BYU quarterback has been a key reason Jon Sumrall’s program is in the CFP. Retzlaff picked up where his predecessor, Darian Mensah, left off, posting 2,862 passing yards while leading Tulane to its third season of at least 10 wins in the past four years.
Here’s what to know on Retzlaff ahead of Saturday’s CFP first round game in Oxford, Mississippi.
Who is Tulane QB Jake Retzlaff?
Retzlaff is in his first season serving as the starting quarterback at Tulane.
The 6-1 dual-threat quarterback began his collegiate career at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California. He then transferred to Riverside City College, which competes at the Junior college level, before transferring to BYU ahead of the 2023 season.
In 2023, he started the last four games of the season for the Cougars, throwing for 648 yards and three touchdowns while maintaining his redshirt. He spent the 2024 season as the starting quarterback at BYU, throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns to 12 interceptions while recording six rushing touchdowns. He led the Cougars to an 11-2 record.
He transferred to Tulane ahead of the 2025 season. Through 13 games, he has completed 222-of-356 passes (62.4%) for 2,862 yards and 14 touchdowns to six interceptions. He also has rushed for 610 yards and 16 touchdowns. His 16 scores on the ground make him the fourth different Tulane player to record at least 14 rushing touchdowns in a season, with the others being along with Matt Forte, Tyjae Spears and Makhi Hughes.
Why did Jake Retzlaff transfer from BYU to Tulane?
As previously reported by USA TODAY, Retzlaff faced a civil lawsuit that accused him of sexually assaulting and raping a Salt Lake County woman in November 2023. The lawsuit involving Retzlaff was dismissed on June 30 after “the two sides agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice.”
BYU found Retzlaff to have violated its honor code by engaging in premarital sex. BYU is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has an honor code that states students must “live a chaste and virtuous life,” which includes “abstaining from sexual relations outside marriage between a man and a woman.”
Instead of facing a likely seven-game suspension as a result of violating the honor code, Retzlaff opted instead to transfer from BYU. The Cougars did not approve his request to enter the portal, according to reports, causing him to withdraw and re-enroll at Tulane.
He enrolled at Tulane in July after the Green Wave did extensive background research on Retzlaff.
Jake Retzlaff stats
Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of Retzlaff’s stats at BYU and Tulane:
- 2023 (BYU): 63 of 125 (50.4%) passing for 648 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions; 116 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 51 carries
- 2024 (BYU): 213 of 368 (57.9%) passing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions; 417 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 100 carries
- 2025 (Tulane): 222 of 356 (62.4%) passing for 2,862 yards and 14 touchdowns; 610 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns on 118 carries
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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Jake Retzlaff? What to know of Tulane football QB, BYU transfer
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