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Jake Retzlaff is set to transfer to Tulane University ahead of the 2025 college football season. The former BYU passer is skirting a seven-game suspension by ditching the Cougars for the Green Wave.
His new school will offer a complete 180 in terms of nightlife and campus living. He’s gone from one of the strictest colleges in the nation to a top party spot.
Retzlaff played two seasons in Provo, taking over a starting role in 2024. In that most recent campaign, he blossomed into one of the Big 12’s top signal callers, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards.
He led the Cougars to an 11-2 record, taking down conference rival Colorado in the Alamo Bowl to finish off the season. He was expected to lead the program again in 2025, but that plan has since been derailed.
Why is Jake Retzlaff leaving BYU?
The quarterback ran into off-field difficulties in the offseason. He was accused of assault by a woman stemming from an incident in 2023.
Retzlaff denied those claims, which were later dismissed, though he did admit to having a consensual sexual relationship with the accuser.
As a result, he violated the school’s honor code, which calls for students to live a “chaste and virtuous life.”
BYU handed down a seven-game suspension as a result. Rather than spend his final season on the sidelines, he opted to find a new home that offered immediate playing time.
The QB is headed to New Orleans
He’s since committed to play for Tulane. He’ll trade that honor code required in Provo for the NOLA nightlife.
Tulane was ranked as the No. 3 party school in the country by Niche. It ranked behind only California at Santa Barbara and Florida State.
The party at Tulane never ends. A quick TikTok search of “Tulane Party” pulls up hundreds of video results evidencing that fact. Through all hours of the day and night, there is fun to be had!
@nicolasmartinezh_ Absolute Madness 😳 #mardigras #blockparty #tulane #dj
For reference, BYU is ranked as the nation’s No. 2 most conservative university by the website.
The transfer decision officially ends speculation of a return to the Cougars. Head coach Kalani Sitake sparked a social media fire at Big 12 media days by refusing to confirm Retzlaff’s transfer intentions.
“We love Jake Retzlaff,” he said at the podium. “I think it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement [on his future]… I want to give him the opportunity to do that.”
All the while, reports of his portal entry and potential landing spot at a “major college football” destination swirled.
How will Jake Retzlaff fit in with Tulane?
The Green Wave have now accepted commitments from five different transfer signal callers in the 2025 offseason after watching former starter Darian Mensah leave for Duke.
Retzlaff will join Brendan Sullivan (Iowa), Kadin Semonza (Ball State), and Donovan Leary (Illinois) in the QB room. He should have a leg up given his past success at the P4 level.
TJ Finley, who’d previously played at LSU, Auburn, Texas State, and Western Kentucky, was also expected to compete, but an April arrest ended his stint before it got started.
The job could now be Retzlaff’s to lose. He’ll look to avoid any more off the field distractions and finish his career on a high note.
Tulane won nine games last season. Its newest addition could provide more success. The school has vetted the passer given his previous exit from BYU and is working quickly to officially introduce him to the roster.
He will be forced to walk on after the Cougars refused to grant him a release as a designated athlete. He withdrew from the university as a result and will look to start anew in New Orleans.