One of the most intriguing storylines of the college football offseason has been Jake Retzlaff’s situation at BYU.
After being suspended for violating the school’s honor code amid a civil lawsuit, the standout Big 12 quarterback entered the transfer portal but remains unsigned. Now, one insider is shedding light on what’s holding up his next move.
Legal Issue Reportedly Stalling Recruitment of Former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff
Jake Retzlaff is coming off a solid year at BYU. He threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. However, this offseason, he was involved in a civil lawsuit from a Utah woman who accused him of sexual assault.
While it was a civil case with no criminal proceedings, BYU planned to suspend the quarterback for multiple games due to violating the school’s honor code. As a result, Retzlaff announced that he intended to transfer from BYU.
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
After Retzlaff announced his plans to transfer, the woman who filed the lawsuit dropped the case. With no legal case pending, teams needing a quarterback should be lining up, but he still remains unsigned.
The reason? On3’s Pete Nakos explains that schools that are interested in Retzlaff are conducting their own investigations into the civil lawsuit before they sign him.
Multiple programs are exploring the option of bringing in Retzlaff, sources have said,” Nakos wrote. “Before Retzlaff can enroll anywhere, schools are having their general counsel and Title IX office look into Retzlaff’s civil lawsuit, which was dismissed.”
On top of schools wanting to do their legal proceedings, a Group of Five coach told Nakos that the timing of his transfer makes in challenging for a program to bring him in and catch him up to speed before the season starts.
“It’s a really tough time to bring in another quarterback,” the top Group of Five coach told Nakos. “We have to get him admitted to school, he has to learn the playbook. But Jake can elevate our room. We also open camp in less than two weeks.”
Retzlaff was a former three-star JUCO prospect in the 2022 recruiting class and took over as the Cougars’ starter in 2024. He has the necessary tools and talent to start for most programs in the country, but it seems like a hassle for a school to bring him in currently.
Retzlaff would be classified as a graduate transfer for whichever program signs him, giving him eligibility to play in the 2025 season. However, if he doesn’t find a new team this year due to legal issues and the timing of his transfer, he’ll likely have to appeal to the NCAA for eligibility in 2026.
It’s a complex situation, and if the young quarterback wants to continue playing college football, he’ll need to find a team willing to take him soon.
