After Jake Retzlaff controversy, BYU coach makes bold remarks on team's honor code: "Every school has their standards, we have too"

BYU coach Kalani Sitake has addressed the controversy surrounding the Cougars’ embattled quarterback, Jake Retzlaff. Sitake addressed the press on Tuesday at the ongoing Big 12 media days in Frisco, Texas.

Retzlaff faces a seven-game suspension from the team on account of breaking the school’s honor code by having premarital sex.

Defending the school’s code and decision while addressing the media, Sitake said:

“Every school has their standards. We have ours too…. And we expect our students to live according to what they signed up for.”

Sitake assured the press that the decision is not personal, however, pointing out that he loves the quarterback. He said:

“First of all, I love Jake Retzlaff. 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."

Jake Retzlaff may be set to leave the Cougars following his involvement in a premarital sex scandal. This runs against BYU’s code for students to live “a chaste and virtuous life.” However, instead of serving the seven-game suspension, Retzlaff is looking to play elsewhere.

How Jake Retzlaff’s code violation became public

Jake Retzlaff was sued in May by a woman for sexual assault. The woman accused him of assaulting her sexually at his home sometime in 2023. The quarterback’s attorney denied the allegations and claimed the woman consented to the sexual relations.

The senior quarterback will not be the first important athlete dropped by the university for violating its code of honor.

Former Cougars basketball player Brandon Davies was dropped from the school’s basketball team in Mar. 2011 for a similar reason. The Cougars were competing to get in the NCAA tournament that season.

Retzlaff’s departure will greatly impact the Cougars, especially with the season kicking off in a matter of weeks. The quarterback was instrumental to their 11-2 finish last season, crowned with the Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado.

In the process, he threw for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. He rushed for an additional 417 yards and six scores.

He transferred to BYU in 2023 after stints at Golden West and Riverside. The Cougars will be looking to replace him from the transfer portal.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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Edited by Alvin Amansec