Jake Retzlaff is preparing to leave the BYU football program after revealing he engaged in premarital sex, which breaches the university’s honor code, resulting in a seven-game suspension at the start of the next season, as reported by several sources.
The quarterback disclosed this information in his defense against a civil lawsuit that alleges Retzlaff raped a woman at his residence in Provo, Utah, in 2023.
In a recent meeting, Retzlaff was informed that he would likely face a suspension for violating the honor code, prompting him to inform members of the football team about his plan to depart from 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.
