Jake Retzlaff to Tulane: Why ex-BYU QB is a worthy risk with Green Wave positioned as CFP contender

Tulane needed a quarterback. Jake Retzlaff was the best on the market. Maybe it's that simple.
The Green Wave lost their quarterback of the future when Darian Mensah was poached by Duke. The presumptive replacement, TJ Finley, left the team after an arrest. The only player with serious starting experience is Kadin Semonza, who came from the MAC. For a program that fancies itself among the class of the Group of Five, the situation was simply not palatable.
Former BYU star Retzlaff comes with complications, but there's no question, he's the best on the market. He helped lead the Cougars to a breakout 11-win season during their second year in the Big 12. If he pops, Retzlaff has a chance to radically transform the Green Wave's offense and shake up both the American and College Football Playoff race. Tulane separated itself as the odds-on favorite to win its conference on FanDuel after the announcement.
Adding Retzlaff is a chance worth taking, but also comes with serious risks.
Jake Retzlaff's complicated journey to TulaneFirst, there's the complicated backdrop. Retzlaff's status at BYU was impacted by a civil lawsuit filed accusing Retzlaff of sexual assault. The lawsuit was later dismissed with prejudice after a settlement. According to ESPN, Tulane -- including the school's Title IX office -- spent more than a week vetting Retzlaff. Despite being legally cleared, Retzlaff was facing a potential seven-game suspension from BYU for violating its strict honor code. He opted to pursue other opportunities.
Because of the timing, and being a few hours short of graduation, Retzlaff could not enter the traditional transfer portal. He instead had to unenroll from the school and could not be pursued as a traditional recruit. Tulane does not have a scholarship available for him, so he will technically join the team as a walk-on. The timing and lack of opportunity tanked any real chance to land at a higher-profile program.
More than that, Retzlaff's situation means he could not go through spring camp, or even summer workouts. Even a spring transfer, like Iowa's Brendan Sullivan, got to build relationships and learn a playbook during summer workouts. Retzlaff, instead, will only get to campus in late July -- far later than essentially any other transfer in the sport.
Why taking risk on Retzlaff could be worth it for TulaneRetzlaff has played plenty of football and adjusted well across three stops, but this is a different challenge. If he can get up to speed and win the team's trust, though, Retzlaff has the skills to elevate Tulane's offense.
The senior's numbers didn't jump off the page at BYU, tying with 10 other quarterbacks while finishing with under 3,000 yards and a 58% completion percentage. Retzlaff tied with 10 other quarterbacks for the Power Four lead with 12 interceptions, including two in a tight 28-23 loss against Arizona State. However, some of the middling numbers were a product of his role.
BYU didn't have many consistent offensive units when running backs LJ Martin and Hinckley Ropati went down with injuries. Without them, Retzlaff came to the rescue, bringing a dynamic component to the offense. He boasted the second-highest average depth of target in the Big 12 as he tried to spread defenses. BYU's receivers also suffered the second-highest drop rate in the conference, behind only Kansas State.
More importantly, Retzlaff engaged as a serious part of the running game. He rushed for 417 yards and six touchdowns, including four games of 50+ yards rushing. Three-quarters of his attempts were designed runs as BYU tried to find consistency. Anytime BYU needed answers, Retzlaff delivered. That includes a game-winning throw against Oklahoma State and multiple game-saving throws against Utah.
At Tulane, Retzlaff steps into a similarly unproven situation. With the transfer of Makhi Hughes to Oregon, the Green Wave are now without their top three receivers and top rusher from last season. Tulane coach Jon Sumrall runs a defensive program, but finding mismatches on offense remains paramount to contending in the American Conference.
And after five losses in 2024, the opportunity remains large in 2025. Northwestern, Duke and Ole Miss are on the schedule, but all are beatable under the right circumstances. Road trips to UTSA and Memphis will be difficult, but Tulane will be heavy favorites in every other game. If the Green Wave can get to 10 wins with multiple power conference victories, they can contend with anyone for the coveted playoff spot. Tulane joins Boise State and Memphis as the only Group of Five programs with better than 10-to-1 odds to make the field. Tulane sits at a respectable +760, ironically giving them better odds than Retzlaff's old school, BYU (+1260), per FanDuel Sportsbook.
The 2025 season is a wide open year in the American, and no Group of Five squad has separated itself in the College Football Playoff race. Sumrall is one of the best coaches in the game and will have his roster prepared. At this moment, it's worth taking a chance on a talented quarterback when the upside remains this high.
Just understand the risks.
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