BYU coach Kalani Sitake finally broke his silence on Jake Retzlaff amid honor code talks surrounding his embattled quarterback during Tuesday’s chat with reporters at Big 12 Media Days.
A reporter asked Sitake if it was correct to assume that he doesn’t anticipate Retzlaff being part of BYU’s college football program moving forward. Retzlaff found himself in hot water recently after he violated BYU’s honor code system for having premarital sex.
“First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff,” Sitake said (timestamp 6:16). “We love Jake Retzlaff and appreciate all that he’s done for our program. I think it would be inappropriate for me to make a statement in his situation first. I think that’s his right. I think it’s a private matter that he can speak for himself and I’m going to give him the opportunity to do that.”
Retzlaff was sued back in May by a woman who accused the BYU star of sexually assaulting her in 2023. Retzlaff’s attorney refuted the claims, saying that his client’s relations with her were consensual.
That argument helped Retzlaff’s case as the lawsuit filed against him was recently dismissed. BYU, which is run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), wasn’t pleased, however, with Retzlaff’s conduct.
Sitake earlier spoke about the school’s honor code in his media session, giving his backing to the school’s controversial system.
“Our university is, you know, we’re sponsored and affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. So there’s a level of expectation and a standard that we ask our student-athletes and our students altogether to live by. Every school has their standards. We have ours to our expectations.”
Sitake concluded his answer by saying that they expect their students “to live according to what they signed up for.”
How Jake Retzlaff Performed Under Kalani Sitake at BYU Last Season
Jake Retzlaff took over as BYU’s starting quarterback during his sophomore year and helped the Cougars finish the 2024 season with an 11-2 record. He completed 213 of 368 passes for 2,947 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Retzlaff was ranked seventh in the Big 12 Conference in passer rating and eighth in passing yards. He was also tied for last in the Big 12 in picks thrown. Treyson Bourguet and McCae Hillstead are the favorites to replace Retzlaff if he decides to transfer to another school.
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