BYU QB Jake Retzlaff Civil Assault Case Withdrawn, Seven-Game Suspension Expected

Jake Retzlaff, the BYU quarterback accused in a civil sexual assault lawsuit, has had the case withdrawn following a joint dismissal motion approved by a Utah judge. Retzlaff faces a likely seven-game suspension for violating BYU’s honor code, which prohibits premarital sex, and has announced his intention to transfer to another university to continue his final year of eligibility. The lawsuit alleged that Retzlaff raped, strangled, and bit a woman in his Provo apartment in November 2023, claims which Retzlaff’s lawyer has categorically denied, describing the encounter as consensual. Despite the withdrawal of the lawsuit, Retzlaff has already cleaned out his locker and is expected to publicly announce his transfer decision soon. BYU’s honor code, aligned with the values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, requires students to live chastely, and the violation has prompted disciplinary action against the quarterback. Retzlaff’s departure leaves BYU’s football team with uncertainty at the quarterback position for the upcoming season.