Former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff’s Surprising Transfer to Tulane Shakes Up College Football Landscape

Coach Jon Sumrall had originally brought in TJ Finley from Western Kentucky, but the well-traveled quarterback entered the transfer portal in April after he was arrested after police linked the license plate of a truck he was driving to a stolen car in Atlanta (Finley’s attorneys claimed he was victim of a scam after buying a used truck through a social media marketplace).

Six weeks before Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, Jake Retzlaff has found a new home.The former BYU quarterback has committed to Tulane, according to a report from ESPN on July 21.Just six weeks out from the kickoff of the 2025 college football season, Jake Retzlaff has made a surprising pivot in his career path. The former BYU quarterback, who found himself at the center of swirling controversy, has officially committed to Tulane — a move that’s got tongues wagging across the collegiate football landscape. After stepping away from BYU to avoid a lengthy suspension tied to an honor code violation, Retzlaff’s new chapter with the Green Wave comes following meticulous scrutiny from Tulane’s administration, including a thorough Title IX review. With impressive stats last season and a starting spot up for grabs, Retzlaff’s journey is anything but ordinary — and it’s one that could shake up the American Athletic Conference in a big way. Intrigued? LEARN MORE

After going 9-5 in Sumrall’s first season, Tulane is expected to be one of the best teams this season outside the power conference level, which could put it in contention for a designated spot in the College Football Playoff.

Given the severity of the allegations Retzlaff faced, Tulane spent more than a week doing background on the transfer quarterback and had the school’s Title IX office review the move, according to ESPN. The report added that Retzlaff will join the Green Wave as a walk-on, as he was unable to enter the NCAA transfer portal given when he left BYU.At Tulane, he’ll aim to win the starting job vacated by Darian Mensah, who transferred to Duke after leading the Green Wave to the American Athletic Conference championship game last season. Retzlaff is one of four transfer quarterbacks on the roster, joining Brendan Sullivan (Iowa), Kadin Semonza (Ball State) and Donovan Leary (Illinois). On3 Sports reported that Retzlaff has not been promised the starting job.

Retzlaff had been accused in a lawsuit in May of raping a woman in 2023. Retzlaff denied the allegation and the lawsuit was dismissed on June 30, with the parties jointly agreeing to dismiss with prejudice.Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season and ran for 417 yards and six touchdowns. He helped lead the Cougars to an 11-2 record and a No. 14 ranking in the final US LBM Coaches Poll.

The move comes 10 days after Retzlaff left BYU rather than sit through a planned seven-game suspension for a violation of the school’s honor code, which prohibits premarital sex.