Retzlaff, a 22-year-old quarterback, has one year of eligibility left as a graduate student at BYU. The honor code, enforced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, prohibits consensual premarital sex. Retzlaff, who is not a member of the LDS Church, is facing potential suspension for violating this rule, which could mean a seven-game absence if he remains at BYU. This suspension would jeopardize his college eligibility for the 2025 season, prompting his plan to transfer.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Retzlaff’s anticipated suspension has been a topic of discussion. The honor code is a central part of BYU’s academic and athletic culture, and the incident has raised questions about how the university handles personal conduct violations involving athletes. Retzlaff’s legal team has filed motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing the accusations are the result of extortion and that the woman in question never contacted him for over a year prior to the incident.
Retailing the lawsuit, the woman claims that after meeting Retzlaff via social media, she visited his apartment to play video games. She alleges that they kissed, but Retzlaff continued despite her attempts to stop the interaction, escalating the situation. The original complaint alleged that he put his hands around her neck and raped her after she tried to leave, but new filings from Friday have Retzlaff denying the accusations, stating that they engaged in consensual sex. His legal team has called these allegations