BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is facing a civil lawsuit filed in Salt Lake County, Utah, accusing him of sexual assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe A.G., alleges that the incident occurred in November 2023 at Retzlaff’s residence in Provo, Utah, after they connected via social media.
According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe and a friend visited Jake R etzlaff’s home in November 2023. After some time, the friend left, and Jane Doe remained with Retzlaff. The two began watching a movie in his room and started kissing. The suit claims that when Jane Doe indicated she did not want to proceed further and told him to “stop,” Retzlaff ignored her refusal, retrieved a condom, and proceeded to assault her.
She later underwent a rape kit examination and initially reported the incident to police without naming Retzlaff, citing discouragement from authorities.
Retzlaff’s attorney, Mark Baute, who previously defended NBA player Derrick Rose, has declared Retzlaff “factually innocent” and emphasized the intent to prove this in court. The Provo Police Department refuted claims that an officer advised the plaintiff to drop the case, stating that such an assertion is false. BYU acknowledged awareness of the case and affirmed it would follow Title IX procedures.
Who is Jake Retzlaff?
Retzlaff, originally from California, began his collegiate career at Riverside City College before transferring to BYU ahead of the 2023 season. He started the final four games that year and went on to win the starting quarterback job in 2024 following a competitive training camp.
Leading the Cougars to an impressive 11-2 season, Retzlaff capped the year with a victory over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. He threw for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound redshirt senior is expected to return as BYU’s starting quarterback this fall.
