The Tulane Green Wave have spent seven months determining their 2025 starting quarterback.
After 2024 starter Darian Mensah transferred to Duke in December, Tulane immediately began addressing this need in the transfer portal, bringing in three quarterbacks before New Year’s Day. And as of July 21, the Green Wave are still introducing new transfers to the room to arrive at a final answer.
Jake Retzlaff is the latest addition to the quarterback group in New Orleans. The former BYU quarterback verbally
committed Monday, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Retzlaff officially withdrew from BYU on July 11 in the midst of a complicated summer. In May, he was accused of committing sexual assault in 2023, but the lawsuit was subsequently dismissed in late June. Despite the dismissal of the lawsuit, Retzlaff still faced a 7-game suspension from BYU due to violation of the school’s honor code.
The graduate transfer arrives at Tulane with one year of eligibility remaining. He enters the Green Wave quarterback room as a walk-on and will compete against a horde of transfers the team brought in earlier this offseason.
Those transfers include 2024 Ball State starter Kadin Semonza — the reigning MAC Freshman of the Year — and former Illinois quarterback Donovan Leary, who both arrived in December. At the end of spring football, Tulane also added recurring Northwestern and Iowa starter Brendan Sullivan to the group, throwing another experienced candidate into the mix. Tulane previously had former LSU, Auburn, Texas State, and WKU starter TJ Finley for five months this offseason, but Finley re-entered the transfer portal in late April after facing a team suspension, stemming from an April arrest.
Retzlaff led BYU to an 11-2 record in 2024, firing for 2,947 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on a 57.9 percent completion rate. His mobility was an essential element to his game, accumulating 412 yards and six touchdowns as a runner. A JUCO standout prior to his time at BYU, Retzlaff comes equipped with 17 FBS starts under his belt.
He’ll compete for his 18th in fall camp, preparing for Tulane’s Aug. 30 home opener vs. Northwestern.
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