BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is anticipating a seven-game suspension for violating the university’s honor code and is likely to leave the program, according to multiple reports on June 29.
The move stems from a civil lawsuit filed against Retzlaff in May, alleging that he sexually assaulted a woman at his home. The woman, who claims that Retzlaff “raped, strangled and bit” her, is suing Retzlaff for alleged battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress, seeking damages of at least $300,000.
Retzlaff’s lawyers denied the allegations in a response to the lawsuit filed on June 28, describing them as “ridiculous and bizarre.”
BYU, which is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has an honor code that states that students must “live a chaste and virtuous life,” which includes “abstaining from sexual relations outside marriage between a man and a woman.”
The university has issued disciplinary measures against athletes before for premarital sex, perhaps most notably in March 2011, when standout forward Brandon Davies was dismissed from the university’s men’s basketball team, which was No. 3 in the country at the time.
In his first and potentially only full season as the Cougars’ starter, Retzlaff helped guide BYU to an 11-2 mark and a victory in the Alamo Bowl against Deion Sanders and Colorado. Retzlaff completed 57.9% of his passes for 2,947 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while also rushing for 417 yards and six touchdowns.
He gained national attention beyond the field as a Jewish quarterback representing a school with an overwhelmingly LDS student population, earning him the nickname “BYJew” and a name, image and likeness deal with kosher food company Manischewitz.
Should Retzlaff leave, BYU has two other quarterbacks on its roster: McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet, who transferred into the program from Utah State and Western Michigan, respectively.
News of Retzlaff’s suspension and likely departure was broken by the Salt Lake Tribune, citing unnamed sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: BYU QB Jake Retzlaff faces suspension, likely to leave program