BYU QB Jake Retzlaff's lawyer defends him after sexual assault accusations in latest lawsuit

Jake Retzlaff spent the past two seasons with the BYU Cougars. However, questions about his football future started to surface after he was accused of sexual assault. On Wednesday, a Salt Lake County woman came forward stating that Retzlaff had allegedly sexually assaulted her in November 2023.

According to a 3rd District Court Filing, the woman is named Jane Doe A.G. In her lawsuit, she claimed that she connected with Jake Retzlaff through social media and started messaging each other. Per the filing, she is now suing the quarterback for sexual assault and battery, and is asking for punitive damages.

However, Jake Retzlaff's lawyer, Mark Baute, has come forward to deny the claims made in the lawsuit. He released a statement on Wednesday claiming the quarterback's innocence in the matter.

"He (Jake Retzlaff) is also factually innocent, and we look forward to proving that innocence," Baute said. "Jake's focus this year will be on football. We don't try cases in the media, we will respect the process and establish Jake's innocence through the judicial system."

According to the lawsuit, the woman underwent a rape kit exam at the hospital a few days after the alleged assault. She initially did not mention Retzlaff's name to the police. She also claimed that an officer asked her to withdraw her case since sexual assault victims do not get 'justice'.

The Provo Police Department came forward with a statement, calling this claim false. They stated that they reviewed the situation and denied the possibility of any officer telling the woman to retract her case. The police also stated that they found a similar case report filed in November 2023, but are unsure if it is the same incident.

BYU releases statement after Jake Retzlaff's sexual accusations

The BYU Cougars came forward with a statement following the accusations made about their starting quarterback. They stated that they were aware of the lawsuit and would follow all the guidelines and procedures to the letter.

"BYU became aware today that a civil lawsuit involving Jake Retzlaff has been filed this morning," the statement read. "The University takes any allegation very seriously, following all processes and guidelines mandated by Title IX.

"Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not make be able to provide additional comment."

In his first season as a starter for the Cougars, Retzlaff led them to an 11-2 record and an Alamo Bowl victory over the Colorado Buffaloes. He recorded a total of 2,947 yards and 20 TDs passing.

About the author

Priyam is a College Sports content executive at Sportskeeda with a master's in Advertising and Marketing Management and over two years of experience as a writer. When it comes to reporting, Priyam believes doing a technical deep dive is one of his biggest strengths and he loves to dissect plays on the field and factor out the strengths/weaknesses of players.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Priyam sees Nick Saban as the greatest coach of all time. He is also rooting for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milore after following his progress over the years. The Michigan Wolverines football team is another of his favorite programs and it will be interesting to see how both these teams perform in new coaching eras.

When he’s not reporting, Priyam is usually at the gym or indulging in music. He has been a guitarist and a drummer for the past 17 years and finds his time of peace when playing music.

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Edited by Ruth John S