Amid a civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault, BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff could face a seven-game suspension for violating the school’s honor code and will likely leave the program, according to multiple reports Sunday.
The Salt Lake Tribune was the first to report the news. The school did immediately respond to a request for comment from The Athletic.Retzlaff, a senior, is accused of sexual assault and battery from a 2023 incident at his apartment in Provo, Utah. The woman, who is identified as Jane Doe A.G., alleges that Retzlaff raped, strangled and bit her. The accuser filed the lawsuit in May. Retzlaff maintains his innocence and claims their encounter was consensual, which still violates school rules
BYU, which is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, enforces an eight-point honor code that requires students to “live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from sexual relations outside marriage between a man and a woman.”
Last year, Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and completed 57.9 percent of his passes. BYU finished 11-2 and ranked No. 13 in the final Associated Press poll.
“The university takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX,” a BYU statement said of the lawsuit. “Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment.”
Should Retzlaff leave, redshirt sophomore McCae Hillstead and freshman Bear Bachmeier will likely compete for BYU’s starting quarterback role. Hillstead, who transferred to BYU before the 2024 season, passed for 1,062 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 59.5 percent of his passes at Utah State in 2023. Bachmeier, a redshirt freshman, spent last season at Stanford.
Treyson Bourguet, a junior, could also enter the competition. Bourguet threw for 1,314 yards, six touchdowns and ran for 219 yards and one touchdown in two seasons at Western Michigan. He transferred to BYU before the 2024 season.
