Quarterback Jake Retzlaff makes decision on his BYU future after rape allegations

Jake Retzlaff is planning on leaving the BYU football program after admitting to having premarital sex – a violation of the school’s honor code – and facing a seven-game suspension to start next season, according to multiple reports. 

The quarterback made the admission as part of a response to a civil lawsuit which alleges that Retzlaff had raped a woman at his Provo, Utah home in 2023. 

During a meeting last week, Retzlaff had been informed that he would likely face suspension for breaking the honor code and began telling members of the football program that he had the intention to leave the school. 

Retzlaff has already cleaned out his locker at the Student Athlete Building and is expected to publicly announce his decision to play elsewhere later this week, Desert News reported. 

He had been with the team and was taking part in summer workouts, according to ESPN. 

A Utah woman filed the lawsuit last month, alleging Retzlaff raped, strangled and bit her during the November 2023 encounter. 

Retzlaff’s lawyer denied the allegations in a legal response on Friday. 

“Mr. Retzlaff specifically and categorically denies each and every and all allegations that he bit, raped or strangled AG, which are ridiculous and bizarre allegations, all of which are false and untrue,” part of the response read. 

The lawyer also described the encounter as consensual. 

A source told Desert News that the lawsuit is expected to be “resolved’ this week. 

The woman and football player connected through social media and this led her to come over to play video games on or around Nov. 22, 2023. 

The woman arrived with friends and several friends and teammates of Retzlaff were at the house, but later in the evening, after the woman’s friends left, Retzlaff and the female started watching a movie and began to kiss, according to the suit. 

“At some point they began to kiss, but Jane Doe A.G. did not want to do anything more,” the lawsuit stated. “Retzlaff began escalating the situation … and Jane Doe A.G. tried to de-escalate the situation and attempted to slow things down, trying to pull away, and saying ‘wait.’ She did not want to do anything sexual with him.”

Despite attempts to say “no” and “wait, stop” Retzlaff forced himself on her, according to the suit, and put his hands around her neck and then raped her. 

Retzlaff has denied the allegations. 

The California native took over the starting job last season and threw 2,947 yards for 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.