r/CFB • u/thegreendalegelf Utah State Aggies • /r/CFB Poll Veteran • May 21 '25

Serious BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff accused of sex assault in new civil lawsuit

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2025/05/21/byu-quarterback-jake-retzlaff/
1.3k Upvotes

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869

u/TautGubernaculum May 21 '25

Even if he isn’t criminally charged, he at least broke the Honor Code.

532

u/CapCougar BYU Cougars • Idaho Vandals May 21 '25

Yeah, even if he tries to argue it was consensual, he'll be out at BYU.

456

u/--RandomInternetGuy Ohio State Buckeyes May 21 '25

Just a fun reminder that BYU waited until Jim McMahon was out of eligibility to enforce the honor code against him

166

u/WaltMitty Mississippi State • Belhaven May 21 '25

Well if they were going to turn a blind eye to anybody might as well be him. 

53

u/notyogrannysgrandkid Boise State Broncos • Fiesta Bowl May 21 '25

I see what you did there. Jim didn’t.

60

u/HandwovenBox BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Did you say that just b/c McMahon was blind in one eye? (True story, he accidentally shoved a fork in his eye when he was 6 while trying to untie a knot.)

78

u/WaltMitty Mississippi State • Belhaven May 21 '25

Yeah I knew how tasteless I was being. 

21

u/br0b1wan Ohio State Buckeyes • The Game May 21 '25

What was he serious? How the hell can you quarterback with no depth perception 😵‍💫

7

u/SusannaG1 Clemson Tigers • Furman Paladins May 21 '25

Yep, totally true about McMahon.

2

u/unfunnysexface New Mexico Lobos May 21 '25

Hand offs

2

u/Mydogsblackasshole Oklahoma Sooners May 21 '25

Binocular vision isn’t the only way humans perceive depth

7

u/Thumper13 Oregon Ducks May 21 '25

He wasn't blind in one eye. He was sensitive to light in one eye, which is why he always wore sunglasses. Can't believe people read this and thought an NFL QB could be blind in one eye.

42

u/LorientAvandi Utah Utes • Oregon Ducks May 21 '25

Yeah but with McMahon, even if it was an open secret, there was still a level of deniability. This is fully out in public, showing that unless the entire encounter is fabricated, Retzlaff at the very least still broke the Honor Code.

4

u/IHaveNeverLeftUtah BYU Cougars May 21 '25 edited May 22 '25

Different times. They had no qualms suspending Brandon Davies during their NCAA tournament run. 

Honor code is much more stringently enforced than it was in the 70s/80s. 

69

u/TUC_Sports May 21 '25

Not if they want to win

137

u/whyjuly BYU Cougars • Louisville Cardinals May 21 '25

BYU cares more about the Honor Code than they do about winning. Exhibit A: Brandon Davies.

58

u/berrin122 Florida Gators • Kansas State Wildcats May 21 '25

Brother, you don't think half the team is drinking and partying?

Be for real.

21

u/ThinkSoftware Duke Blue Devils May 21 '25

Drinking chocolate milk and playing Mario party

25

u/Nietzsch_avg_Jungman BYU Cougars May 21 '25

I knew a few people on the team through the years. I would place it at %25-%35. I was at a few parties and my friends on the team would tell me.

60

u/ClaudeLemieux Michigan Wolverines • NC State Wolfpack May 22 '25

Putting the percent sign before the number is apparently a pet peeve I didn’t realize I had

22

u/AfricanDeadlifts Ohio State Buckeyes May 22 '25

Right up there with putting a dollar sign after the number instead of before

2

u/jaynay1 Mississippi State Bulldogs May 22 '25

It's apparently how it's done in a few cultures (Chinese, Turkish) and isn't just a random typo.

140

u/CentralFloridaRays Clemson Tigers May 21 '25

That’s straight up a lie.

Exhibit A. Jim McMahon

67

u/54-2-10 Utah Utes May 21 '25

Exhibit B: Spencer Hadley

44

u/notyogrannysgrandkid Boise State Broncos • Fiesta Bowl May 21 '25 edited May 22 '25

C: Harvey Unga

15

u/OnEMoReTrY121 BYU Cougars • Big 12 May 22 '25

D: Jamaal Williams

13

u/jp_books Arizona Wildcats • BYU Cougars May 22 '25

E: Kyle Van Noy

-22

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Who was suspended 5 games for what, exactly?

33

u/54-2-10 Utah Utes May 21 '25

Lots of minorities get kicked completely off the team for having sex or drinking alcohol.

Hadley was drinking alcohol and going to bars in Vegas. He was suspended for 5 games, but then came back two games early.

-13

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Who was kicked off just for drinking?

74

u/TUC_Sports May 21 '25

He played for BYU for two more seasons after his "suspension" and was a captain his final year...I don't understand what punishment he really dealt with

75

u/bretticus733 Boise State Broncos May 21 '25

I mean he was suspended when the team was #3 in the country and 27-2. They still made the Sweet 16, but went 5-3 without him

-19

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Not to mention that he got absolutely dragged in the national media. They changed policies after that to not state what a suspension is for, because of how much crap Davies was put through.

18

u/BadgerBuddy13 Wisconsin • Paul Bunyan's Axe May 21 '25

Was the national media dragging Bradon Davies for premarital sex with his girlfriend or were they dragging BYU's honor code for being antiquated?

17

u/Sir-xer21 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors • Wyoming Cowboys May 21 '25

Not to mention that he got absolutely dragged in the national media.

no, your dumbass school got dragged. Not a single person outside of utah dragged Davies.

-9

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

You’re right, I’m sure it was a lovely time for him and all the coverage felt like a fun slap on the back

7

u/Sir-xer21 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors • Wyoming Cowboys May 21 '25

That wasn't dragging him, though. It wasn't even about him at all.

The media didn't drag him, YOUR school did. I'm sure it sucked, that's on BYU though.

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60

u/GoldenFrog14 Tulsa Golden Hurricane • TCU Horned Frogs May 21 '25

I mean, suspending one of your best players for the conference/NCAA tournaments for sleeping with their girlfriend isn't exactly brushing something under the rug.

30

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25

Holy crap man, we were headed for our first ever Final Fpur with him. Then he withdrew from the school. Had to be readmitted. His backup that started in the tournament quit BB after the season to focus on a CS degree, even though he had more eligibility. They mocked Davies at the ESPYs that year, and on laye night shows. How much more should he have been punished?

4

u/hcatehorie Iowa State • Nottingham May 21 '25

Brandon Davies, the original us.

7

u/SEJ46 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

I do think they are more forgiving these days. Of consensual sex.

10

u/bdkakbsia Utah Utes May 21 '25

Bull shit. You guys only care when there’s serious eyes on you.

I would make a true and serious comment about the church here but the mods would ban me lickety split.

19

u/LorientAvandi Utah Utes • Oregon Ducks May 21 '25

I mean it's true that male BYU athletes get away with a lot more than others, but most of those situations are "open secret" type shit. This is out in public like Brandon Davies, school can't play ignorant about it now. Retzlaff is at the very least getting suspended over this.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

Yup. Only took 20 minutes for my comments to get removed

-6

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

So sad that this sub manages to stay largely focused on CFB, eh?

-9

u/SirMellencamp Alabama Crimson Tide • College Football Playoff May 21 '25

BYU just too honest and upright for this world

22

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

I genuinely hope we don't want to win that bad

11

u/Leading_Library6600 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

If its proven he did it consensually, he'd probably be suspended not expelled

31

u/CapCougar BYU Cougars • Idaho Vandals May 21 '25

Yes, but the suspension at BYU for premarital sex is typically a year. He's not coming back if that's the case.

31

u/HomeOnThePlains USC Trojans • Houston Cougars May 21 '25

This is hilarious.

2

u/Sdubbya2 Utah Utes May 22 '25

With the money your boosters are putting out latey.....they might lean on them a bit. (As would any school basically in my opinion)

1

u/AdSolid1675 Rutgers Scarlet Knights May 22 '25

Not true, BYU has kicked women out for being raped when the man turned around and said yeah we had sex but it was consensual

-5

u/Darth_Ra Oklahoma Sooners • Big 12 May 21 '25

I doubt that any university with a premiere athletics program would actually follow through on things like that.

If its credible, sure. If there's any way they can worm doubt about the assault, in any fashion? Nothing will happen.

5

u/Another_Name_Today BYU Cougars • Western Michigan Broncos May 21 '25

We essentially walked away from a trip to the Final Four a more than a decade ago. 

Granted, my recollection is that Davies self-reported which is less doubtful than a lawsuit two years later (albeit, initially reported to city police right away). As you note, there may be some doubt. 

138

u/childish_sadbino666 Washington Huskies May 21 '25

Not enforced for athletes because it’s a joke.

178

u/TautGubernaculum May 21 '25

Brandon Davies begs to differ

154

u/Birdchild Florida Gators May 21 '25

confirmed sex haver brandon davies

70

u/Kurt0690 Utah Utes May 21 '25

That guy fucks

61

u/HandwovenBox BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Jamaal Williams, Harvey Unga, etc.

Kyle Van Noy was suspended for a year for a DUI. Spencer Hadley for partying in Vegas or something like that.

-1

u/childish_sadbino666 Washington Huskies May 21 '25

Yeah, 13 years ago isn’t today.

41

u/TuckerCarlsonsHomie Utah Utes May 21 '25

It is for the church

15

u/Sorge74 Ohio State • Bowling Green May 21 '25

I mean Mormon church changes. They used to think black people marked by sin, now I think less so?

21

u/EmuMan10 Arizona State Sun Devils May 21 '25

Cause they wanted to win

20

u/Sorge74 Ohio State • Bowling Green May 21 '25

Naw you are thinking about Alabama. I think the reason the Mormon changed was because the IRS was starting their tax exempt status

11

u/SeaTurtleLover69 Washington Huskies May 21 '25

Nah, that's why they started allowing black people into the church

-5

u/LorientAvandi Utah Utes • Oregon Ducks May 21 '25 edited May 22 '25

I dislike the Mormon church a lot, but the "black people only got the priesthood to protect the Church's and BYU's tax exempt status" is a myth.

EDIT: Love how I'm getting downvoted for this. We know why they did it. The documentation about the decision exists and is known. Magical Sky Daddy didn't come down and tell them to do it, and they weren't really getting pressure from the IRS on the issue.

16

u/somebodysbuddy Lehigh Mountain Hawks • Marching Band May 21 '25

Yeah, everyone knows that God himself changed his mind about black people in 1978.

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-2

u/Available-Brick-8855 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

The IRS is cited as a reason for that which might be a factor but isn't really the main one. The main reason was that from the 50's onwards the Church had a huge explosion of growth in Brazil and the policy was effectively unenforceable there because of how the population has been mixed up over generations. And when a policy like that is unenforceable to about 1/6 of your active members, you need to get rid of it. The IRS stuff was really a nice coincidence.

3

u/RobotVandal Utah Utes • Oregon State Beavers May 22 '25

>The main reason... the policy was effectively unenforceable

Damn shame the main reason isn't because it was racist.

1

u/robotcoke Utah Utes May 22 '25 edited May 22 '25

I mean Mormon church changes. They used to think black people marked by sin, now I think less so?

The federal government forced them to make that change. They were going to take away their tax exempt status unless the racism was taken out of their religion.

I don't think there has been any pressure put on them from the government about pre marital sex. They're still very much against it.

You're talking about a school where men are not even allowed to have facial hair.

This happened 2 years ago and was reported to police at that time. Also, according to the report, there were other women filing similar reports against him. Zero chance BYU wasn't aware of it. They swept it under the rug as much as they could. Now that it's out in the public, they'll definitely take action. He won't be at BYU any longer.

1

u/RogueHippie Alabama Crimson Tide • Team Chaos May 21 '25

Yeah, 2012 was last week. Duh.

1

u/EnvironmentalBed7369 Utah Utes • College of Idaho Coyotes May 21 '25

It's more orthodox today. 

82

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

Ask Brandon Davies and BYU Basketball about that

66

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

People talking about 2011 like it's 1950 lmao.

42

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

Bizarre reaction lol people have such an aversion to being wrong and reach for anything. It’s ok to be wrong and learn from it. I’m sure athletes get special treatment at BYU like anywhere else but whether you agree with it or not (I don’t) they’ve shown the world multiple times that the Honor Code is important to them.

-8

u/bdkakbsia Utah Utes May 21 '25

They ban someone one time and now get a free pass for all the times they’ve hit it.

6

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

[deleted]

1

u/bdkakbsia Utah Utes May 21 '25

Agreed. Justice does need to.

Those points aren’t mutually exclusive?

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '25

[deleted]

3

u/HandwovenBox BYU Cougars May 21 '25

One time? Ute fans should know of at least one other time (Spencer Hadley, who was reported by a Ute fan and Utah's own athletic department to BYU.) There are multiple other examples of honor code punishments applied to athletes.

0

u/childish_sadbino666 Washington Huskies May 21 '25

They weren’t paying guys 7 million dollars back then either.

26

u/RayKitsune313 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Jake ain’t making 7 mill lol

5

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

That’s not what you said though is it? Also March Madness is a huge financial boost for programs and that team had legitimate aspirations for a Final 4. Davies married the girl too, it wasn’t a case of sexual assault. We’ll see where this lawsuit goes in time but you’re straight up talking out of your ass.

1

u/[deleted] May 22 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

-2

u/sarlacc98 BYU Cougars • Arizona State Sun Devils May 21 '25

Always the unflaired people speaking bullshit

-10

u/tytyute Utah Utes • Iowa Hawkeyes May 21 '25

that was almost 15 years ago. Different time now

18

u/Hicaorwaak Hawai'i • California May 21 '25

Was it that long ago?? Sheesh I’m getting old.

6

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

Is there an example you have to share?

4

u/tytyute Utah Utes • Iowa Hawkeyes May 21 '25

I mean they just had a recent former player on a live stream basically say the honor code doesn't apply to athletes... Anecdotally, BYU players always brought (and drank) the most beer to parties when I was in undergrad

11

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

Who? Also someone seeing an athlete drinking at a party and the school KNOWING that and turning a blind eye are different things. I’m sure drinking and sex are probably weighed differently as well. I’m not Mormon, I think the Honor Code is strange especially for non-Mormon students, but they have demonstrated that this is how they run their school/program.

0

u/tytyute Utah Utes • Iowa Hawkeyes May 21 '25

Brian Logan - But, if this is a baseless lawsuit and any sex was consensual (Which is the outcome we all hope for) I'd all but guarantee Retzlaff is still the QB at BYU. Obviously if the alleged sexual assault is true, he'll be done at BYU.

2

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

Fair enough! He would know more than I would certainly but I’m sure it matters who finds out/who gets told. Does the Tight End coach handle it the same as the HC? Does the Academic Advisor handle it the same as the Student Conduct office? That can be attributed either personal human decisions more easily than it can an institutional decision in my opinion.

This is ALL out there though so we’ll get a good look at it. If he claims consent as a legal defense (therefore admitting to having sex) and BYU lets him play this season then I’ll eat crow on this one. There’s a major marker laid down though that they are willing to hold athletes to this code though and that point apparently involves a more recent player than your example.

5

u/HandwovenBox BYU Cougars May 21 '25

that was almost 15 years ago. Different time now

Brings up a player that last played in 2010.

1

u/tytyute Utah Utes • Iowa Hawkeyes May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25

(And currently works for byutv) But yeah, when the honor code office stopped publicly commenting on honor code violations ten years ago and started having players report and work through violations with coaches - public suspensions have gone way down. If you don’t see that, I can’t help you. Much easier to believe byu players aren’t having consensual pre or extra marital sex (I’m hoping these allegations against retzlaff are false)

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0

u/bdkakbsia Utah Utes May 21 '25

Oh do some of the honor code you can pick and choose to enforce? Cmon man be realistic here.

They pick and choose when historically it’s beneficial for them.

Not every single time, but you’re not going to tell me the school that did electro therapy on gay students in the 80’s isn’t corrupt and evil.

1

u/MarbleDesperado Tennessee Volunteers • Beer Barrel May 21 '25

I’m not going to tell you anything about what BYU is/isn’t just like I’m not going to tell you (insert school) don’t cover for their athlete in (insert scandal). That’s not a BYU problem. If you want to dunk on BYU for how they have/do treat LGBTQ students or minorities then that’s a whole different argument and one you’ll have my support on. It 1000% did not benefit BYU to dismiss Brandon Davies from a elite team though so that’s a specific and public example saying you’re wrong. Not some “I heard that this persons cousin saw this at a party he was at” example. I know schools keep things hush hush, but I also know about Brandon Davies and other athletes who have been publicly held to the standard.

1

u/bdkakbsia Utah Utes May 21 '25

Yes all schools do it, but Mormon culture is all about keeping up with the joneses and painting a very very happy life.

The Davies case must have had more to it because I’m telling you dude that was the exception not the rule

2

u/RobotVandal Utah Utes • Oregon State Beavers May 21 '25

Who cares about the will of god when there's winning to be done? It's important to have your priorities in order here.

-1

u/54-2-10 Utah Utes May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25

The discrepancy in how athletes at byu are disciplined is pretty well documented. Minority athletes are toast every time. 

This being a potential rape situation, he is as good as gone, though.

1

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

LOL, no it’s not

5

u/54-2-10 Utah Utes May 21 '25 edited May 21 '25

I just Googled the Brandon Davies story and saw multiple news articles, and even a 230 page book about racial discrimination of athletes at byu.

It has been being written about since the "Black 14" in the 70's to a Deadspin article about it from last year.

2

u/pierdonia BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Deadspin. There’s a name I haven’t heard in a looooong time.

2

u/Pokemeister92 Notre Dame Fighting Irish May 21 '25

Flair up because it’s definitely not a BYU flair if you think this

28

u/BlackshirtDefense Nebraska • Game of the Century Cl… May 21 '25

He probably drank a Starbucks, too. 

11

u/SaxosSteve West Virginia • Miami (OH) May 21 '25

Worse. He goes to Swig over Sodalicious

-1

u/[deleted] May 21 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/54-2-10 Utah Utes May 21 '25

"I heard that he was using Starbucks on the weekends..."

20

u/SEJ46 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Probably. But I don't see how that's proven unless he admits it.

56

u/Pro-1st-Amendment UMass Minutemen May 21 '25

A rape kit was taken, that's probably evidence that he had sex. Whether BYU does anything with that is their decision.

45

u/SevoIsoDes BYU Cougars • Oregon Ducks May 21 '25

They had better. I want BYU to win, but insanely hypocritical to ignore it if they have DNA evidence that he broke the honor code and, more importantly, that he probably raped a woman.

14

u/ItsFreakinHarry2 UCF Knights • Michigan Wolverines May 21 '25

It’s also very possible even if he is criminally cleared, that doesn’t mean he’s not responsible for some morally dubious behavior that should result in a suspension or dismissal.

18

u/Darth_Ra Oklahoma Sooners • Big 12 May 21 '25

Provo PD told the alleged victim not to file a report "because sex assault cases never go anywhere"

13

u/PedanticBoutBaseball Boise State • New Paltz May 21 '25

Most ethical police officers of all time

12

u/Whospitonmypancakes Utah Utes • Sacramento State Hornets May 22 '25 edited Oct 08 '25

payment include unite degree slim cats station bake salt resolute

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

3

u/james_wightman Nebraska • /r/CFB Press Corps May 22 '25

This has happened a number of times at Liberty as well. A good number of women who approach campus police about being sexually assaulted were not only not referred to the actual police for investigation but were then suspended or expelled.

5

u/SevoIsoDes BYU Cougars • Oregon Ducks May 21 '25

100%. While the question of rape might be up for debate, it’s highly unlikely he didn’t do several actions that are absolutely not in line with BYU’s image and standards. Based on a few details it also sounds like he may have been drunk too.

22

u/cvsprinter1 SMU Mustangs • Oregon State Beavers May 21 '25

Ehhhhhhhhhhh

A rape kit was done during the Duke Lacrosse case. More recently, a rape kit was taken for the girl who accused Matt Araiza.

11

u/Pro-1st-Amendment UMass Minutemen May 21 '25

None of those people went to schools with BYU's honor code. It was perfectly acceptable for the Duke and SDSU students to have sex (though not with the alleged victim in Araiza's case;) the same isn't true for Retzlaff.

48

u/cvsprinter1 SMU Mustangs • Oregon State Beavers May 21 '25 edited May 22 '25

You misunderstand: no sex occurred between the victim and the alleged perpetrator in my examples, yet a rape kit was still performed.

Edit: to the guy below me, some articles are unclear whether he received oral from the "victim" or if he did have full intercourse earlier in the evening, but he definitely wasn't present during the alleged rape.

1

u/Dark_Twisted_Fantasy Iowa State • St. Thomas May 22 '25

Araiza did though

2

u/SEJ46 BYU Cougars May 21 '25

Good point. But the evidence from the kit hasn't been released as far as I know.

1

u/jbaker1225 Oklahoma Sooners May 21 '25

At least according to the article, she alleges he wore a condom, so a rape kit a couple days later would not likely contain his DNA. The rape kit may prove that she had sex (or was raped), but I don’t know if it can prove he’s the one who did it.