Former Big 12 star, Baylor rival walks on at surprising program
In this story:
Former BYU star Jake Retzlaff has found his new home. On Monday, it was revealed Retzlaff would walk-on at Tulane to continue his collegiate career.
Retzlaff withdrew from BYU back on July 11, following BYU's planned seven-game suspension for its star quarterback. That came in wake of Retzlaff being accused of raping a woman back in 2023. The former Cougar QB denied all allegations and was never charged. The lawsuit was dropped on June 30. Retzlaff's response included an admission of premarital sex, which is a violation of the BYU honor code, which led to the BYU suspension.
NEWS: Former BYU QB Jake Retzlaff has committed to walk-on at Tulane, @PeteNakos_ reports🌊https://t.co/EOjcJUP9tB pic.twitter.com/k69TUw1XWF
— On3 (@On3sports) July 21, 2025
ESPN detailed how this was an unconventional transfer:
Retzlaff's transfer is an unconventional one in the mechanics of how it worked. Because of the timing of his decision to leave BYU, he couldn't enter the NCAA transfer portal. (He was just short of his earning his degree.) Instead, he withdrew from school and plans to enroll at Tulane and technically will walk on to the team, per sources.
The timing of the suspension in late June and subsequent transfer led to few schools around the needing a quarterback, as it's rare for a starter-caliber quarterback to transfer after spring practice. Because this is Retzlaff's fifth and final season of college football, he was unable to redshirt this year and transfer in a more traditional window.
Last season, Retzlaff threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns for BYU.
- Enjoy more Baylor Bears coverage on Baylor Bears On SI -
More News:
Baylor star trio fuels Team USA past Romania for a 3-0 record in pool play
REPORT: Big 12 denies new team opportunity to join conference
Big 12 Football: Ranking the top 10 QBs ahead of the 2025 season
College football's toughest schedules in the 2025-2026 season
For additional coverage of Baylor University Athletics
Follow us on Facebook: @BaylorBearsOnSI
Follow us on X/Twitter:@BaylorBearsOnSI
Follow us on Instagram: @BaylorBearsOnS
-c6d300a6cd3bbc37e5025fa0d47bc7a7.jpeg "Trent Knoop")
Trent is the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI and also serves as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines on SI. His work has additionally been featured on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
Follow TrentKnoop