Former Big 12 starting quarterback makes transfer decision

Last season was a magical one for the BYU Cougars with starting quarterback Jake Retzlaff under center, winning double digits games for the first time as a member of the Big 12. But unfortunately for BYU fans, Retzlaff will be continuing his collegiate career elsewhere after being involved in a controversy that forced him to transfer away from the program.

Last month, Retzlaff was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2023 in a lawsuit. And while the civil lawsuit was ultimately dropped shortly after it was filed last month, Retzlaff’s admission that the two did have consensual sex did come with repercussions.

BYU has a strict honor system that prohibits premarital sex, which Retzlaff was admittedly in violation of. And as a result, instead of staying at the program and taking on a suspension from the program, which was the outcome most saw coming, he ultimately decided to instead enter the transfer portal.

On Monday, Retzlaff made his decision as to where he will be transferring to, verbally committing to transfer to Tulane, which was first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Sources: Former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff has verbally committed to transfer to Tulane. The school has spent more than a week doing a vetting process, including the university’s Title IX office examining the case that resulted in Retzlaff withdrawing from BYU. pic.twitter.com/zikloU06Wi

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 21, 2025

It’s unclear where Retzlaff will ultimately fit in the Tulane quarterback depth chart with just over a month until the start of the 2025 college football season. But at the very least, Retzlaff does provide Tulane with a reliable option with a track record of success at a Power Conference program, which could very well end up being quite valuable for them this coming season.