Jake Retzlaff (born March 28, 2003) is an American football quarterback for the BYU Cougars. He previously played for the Golden West Rustlers and the Riverside Tigers.
_(cropped).jpg) Retzlaff in 2024 | |
| BYU Cougars – No. 12 | |
|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback |
| Class |  Junior |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 28, 2003 Corona, California, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career history | |
| College |
|
| High school | Centennial |
High school career
editRetzlaff attended Centennial High School in Corona, California. As a junior, he totaled 1,067 passing yards and eight touchdowns, before not being allowed to play in his senior year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2] At the conclusion of his high school career, Retzlaff committed to play college football at Golden West College.
College career
editAs a true freshman in 2021, Retzlaff threw for 3,302 yards and 23 touchdowns before deciding to transfer to Riverside City College.[3][4] The following season with Riverside, he started 13 games, recording 4,596 yards passing, and 44 touchdowns, in addition to setting the school record for most passing yards in a game (529) and passing touchdowns in a single game (6).[5][6] He entered the transfer portal for the second time at the season's end.
As the number one rated junior college quarterback in the nation, Retzlaff announced in January 2023, that he would be transferring to BYU.[7][8] Entering the 2023 season, he was named the second-string quarterback behind Pittsburgh transfer Kedon Slovis.[9] After an injury to Slovis, Retzlaff was named the starting quarterback against West Virginia.[10][11] In his first career start, he threw for 210 yards in a 37–7 loss.[12] The following week, he was once again named the starting quarterback.[13][14] In his second career start against Iowa State, he threw his first career touchdown pass at the FBS level in a 45–13 defeat.[15] Retzlaff finished the season throwing for 648 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns.[16]
Entering the 2024 season, Retzlaff competed with Gerry Bohanon for BYU's starting quarterback job, eventually being named the week one starter.[17] In the season opener against Southern Illinois, he threw for 348 yards and three touchdowns in a 41–13 victory.[18] Against Oklahoma State, Retzlaff threw for 218 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 35-yard touchdown pass to Darius Lassiter, while also rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown in a 38–35 win.[19]
Statistics
edit| Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | Avg | TD | Int | Rate | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | ||
| Golden West Rustlers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 12 | 12 | 11–1 | 243 | 409 | 59.4 | 3,302 | 8.1 | 23 | 5 | 143.3 | 90 | 380 | 4.2 | 9 | |
| Riverside Tigers | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 13 | 13 | 12–1 | 312 | 493 | 63.3 | 4,596 | 9.3 | 44 | 14 | 165.4 | 79 | 515 | 6.5 | 6 | |
| BYU Cougars | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 4 | 4 | 0–4 | 63 | 125 | 50.4 | 648 | 5.2 | 3 | 3 | 97.1 | 51 | 116 | 2.3 | 3 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 10 | 9–1 | 170 | 290 | 58.6 | 2,283 | 7.9 | 19 | 8 | 140.8 | 78 | 312 | 4.0 | 4 | |
| CCCAA Career | 25 | 25 | 23–2 | 555 | 902 | 61.5 | 7,898 | 8.8 | 67 | 19 | 155.4 | 169 | 895 | 5.3 | 15 | |
| Career | 14 | 14 | 9–5 | 233 | 415 | 56.1 | 2,931 | 7.1 | 22 | 11 | 127.7 | 129 | 428 | 3.3 | 7 | |
Personal life
editRetzlaff is Jewish.[20] In 2023, he became the first ever Jewish quarterback to play at BYU.[21][22][23]
References
edit- ^ "Retzlaff brothers have been a dynamic duo for RCC football team". San Bernardino Sun. December 8, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Who Is Jake Retzlaff? Five Things You Should Know About BYU QB".
- ^ "Breaking Loose: Jake Retzlaff's former junior college coach now a BYU fan". heraldextra.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Riverside City College football team ready for challenges of new season". Press Enterprise. September 1, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Junior College Quarterback Jake Retzlaff Signs With BYU Football".
- ^ "Here's why BYU needed a JC quarterback". Deseret News. January 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "BYU football: Cougars add junior college transfer Jake Retzlaff to now-crowded quarterbacks room". Deseret News. January 10, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Payne, Jackson (January 10, 2023). "Top JUCO quarterback Jake Retzlaff signs with BYU". The Daily Universe. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "BYU football: Here's who will jump in at QB for Cougars when starter Kedon Slovis isn't available". Deseret News. August 22, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Retzlaff to start at quarterback for BYU". ABC4 Utah. November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "BYU's backup QB might give the Cougars something they've been missing". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Walker, Sean. "How did QB Jake Retzlaff perform in his first start for BYU?". www.ksl.com. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Payne, Jackson (November 9, 2023). "Retzlaff to start at QB for BYU against Cyclones". The Daily Universe. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ "Jake Retzlaff to make another start for BYU".
- ^ "BYU's Jake Retzlaff, JoJo Phillips Connect For First Career Touchdowns".
- ^ Walker, Sean. "Has Jake Retzlaff done enough to be BYU's starting QB in 2024?". www.ksl.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
- ^ "BYU has finally named its starting quarterback". Deseret News. August 31, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "Chosen starting QB Jake Retzlaff rolls and BYU secures its objectives in romp over FCS Southern Illinois". Deseret News. September 1, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff's late heroics keep the Cougars undefeated". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
- ^ "Jewish QB Jake Retzlaff sees BYU as a welcomed shelter from the storm". Deseret News. May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Weir, Grayson (November 18, 2023). "First Jewish QB In BYU History Coins Epic Nickname, Rocks Star Of David With Swagger". BroBible. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Drew, Jay (April 11, 2023). "Junior college quarterback Jake Retzlaff brings his Jewish faith and love of football and family to BYU". Deseret News. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
- ^ Coppins, McKay (October 18, 2024). "The Jewish Quarterback at a Mormon College". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 19, 2024.