Sources: BYU QB Retzlaff faces suspension, plans to transfer - ESPN

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is planning to transfer from the school, sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday. He is facing a suspension after admitting to premarital sex, a violation of the school's honor code that surfaced during his response to a civil lawsuit alleging he raped a woman in 2023.

Retzlaff met with school officials Friday and was informed he likely would face a seven-game suspension, sources confirmed to ESPN. He has begun informing staff and teammates of his intention to leave, sources said.

Retzlaff had been working out with the team and participating in summer workouts and practices. The team is on break until July 7.

The BYU staff has been ramping up the preparation of the three backup quarterbacks — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet and Bear Bachmeier — in anticipation that Retzlaff might not be available.

Last month, a woman filed a civil lawsuit that alleged Retzlaff raped, strangled and bit her in November 2023. In a response to that lawsuit filed Friday, a lawyer representing Retzlaff denied those allegations but said Retzlaff had consensual sex with the woman.

The response said Retzlaff and the woman traded lighthearted text messages for months after the encounter and characterized the civil lawsuit as an extortion attempt based on the idea that Retzlaff developed into an NFL prospect roughly a year later.

The lawsuit described the encounter much differently.

Both the complaint and the response agree that Retzlaff and the woman connected through social media, which led to her visiting Retzlaff's apartment to play video games on or around Nov. 22, 2023. The woman arrived with a friend, and friends and teammates of Retzlaff also were present.

Later that evening, the woman's friend left, after which