Jake Retzlaff: 5 Must-Know Facts About BYU’s Breakout Quarterback Lighting Up College Football

Tulane has landed one of the most intriguing free-agent quarterbacks in this summer’s college football market, as former BYU starter Jake Retzlaff has given a verbal commitment to join the Green Wave for the 2025 season, multiple outlets reported Monday morning. Retzlaff, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior from Corona, Calif., threw for 2,014 yards and 15 touchdowns over 10 appearances with BYU after a prolific junior-college stint at Riverside City College. He entered the national spotlight last fall when injuries thrust him into the Cougars’ starting role against Texas Tech, Oklahoma and West Virginia, showcasing quick decision-making and the escapability that helped him earn the West Coast’s 2022 JUCO Offensive Player of the Year award. The dual-threat passer withdrew from BYU earlier this month after the university informed him he faced a potential seven-game suspension for violating the school’s honor code—a process that allowed him to bypass the traditional transfer-portal window and commit immediately elsewhere. Tulane officials spent the past week vetting Retzlaff through their Title IX office before green-lighting the move, per ESPN. For first-year head coach Jon Sumrall, Retzlaff’s arrival answers the program’s biggest offseason question. Tulane must replace stand-out quarterback Michael Pratt, now in the NFL, and had yet to identify a clear No. 1 during spring practice. Retzlaff, who still has one year of eligibility thanks to the COVID waiver, will compete with redshirt junior Kai Horton and Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pyron when fall camp opens in early August. Beyond on-field production, Retzlaff brings a rare combination of age, leadership experience and brand power; he famously trademarked the nickname “ByJew” to spotlight his Jewish heritage while playing at BYU. NIL experts project the move to New Orleans—home to a vibrant Jewish community and a rapidly expanding collective—could bolster both his personal brand and Tulane’s recruiting profile in the Big 12, which the school joins next July. If Retzlaff wins the job, Tulane’s retooled offense will debut on Aug. 30 against Arizona State before a nationally televised Week 2 showdown at Alabama. With proven mobility, a quick release and a chip on his shoulder, the former Cougar could give the Green Wave the veteran spark they need to contend immediately in their new conference.