“After a lot of prayer, reflection, and conversations with those I trust, I’ve made the difficult decision to officially withdraw from BYU and step away from the BYU Football program,” Retzlaff posted on his instagram account. “BYU has meant more to me than just football. It’s been a place of growth – spiritually, mentally, and physically. I’m grateful for every teammate, coach, staff member, and fan who’s supported me along the way. The relationships and memories I’ve made in Provo will always be a part of me. That said, I’m excited to turn the page and embrace the next chapter. My journey is far from over – and I’m more motivated than ever to keep chasing my goals.”

BYU issued its own statement minutes after, stating, “We are grateful for the time Jake Retzlaff has spent at BYU. As he moves forward, BYU Athletics understands and respects Jake’s decision to withdraw from BYU, and we wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his career.”

What is next for Retzlaff remains to be seen, and it’s likely that he’ll now have to walk on to whichever program he elects to enter with the strong possibility of receiving a competitive Name-Image-and-Likeness (NIL) offer. He’ll likely follow this path rather than the more common method of entering the transfer portal primarily due to timing, with teams set to begin fall practices in less than a month, among other factors.

Reports broke this past month of May that Retzlaff was facing a civil lawsuit, accusing him of sexual assault and subsequently putting his future at BYU very much in question. The embattled quarterback’s attorney responded to the allegations about a month later, denying the allegations in a 14-page document filed to Utah’s Third District Court. The case was then dismissed with prejudice just a few days later.

Due to Retzlaff admitting to sexual conduct as part of his attorney’s response to the civil suit, BYU moved forward with a reported seven-game suspension which ultimately led to Retzlaff electing to withdraw and find other opportunities for the coming season.

Meanwhile, BYU will now make do without the services of Retzlaff for this coming season, as has been the anticipation for several weeks now. Sophomore McCae Hillstead and junior Treyson Bourguet both have more than a year within the BYU football program and are thought to be the frontrunners for the starting nod. They’ll be joined by incoming freshmen Bear Bachmeier, who transferred from Stanford following the spring practice session and Bountiful High School’s Emerson Geilman.

The prospect of replacing Retzlaff could be a daunting prospect, not only for the four quarterbacks vying for the starting spot, but for the offense in general. Not only did Retzlaff start every game last season, but he was also afforded exclusive first-team reps throughout the spring practice session which puts both Hillstead and Bourguet behind the curve of the usual process of replacing a lost starter from a season ago.

While Retzlaff was somewhat erratic in his overall performance for the Cougars over the past two seasons, he was generally productive and accounted for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air and another 417 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Those numbers won’t be easy to replace, along with Retzlaff’s proven durability, which saw him start every game last season.

Fall practices are set to begin in late July with the first game of BYU’s 12-game 2025 schedule to kickoff on August 30 when it hosts Portland State.