Ex-BYU quarterback fully "vetted" by new team, say coach

Tulane Green Wave "Vetted Every Angle" Before Signing Ex-BYU Quarterback Jake Retzlaff

Sumrall Explains Extensive Due Diligence Behind Latest Addition to Quarterback Room

Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall left no doubt about the thoroughness of his team's vetting process when it came to securing former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff. Speaking at the American Conference Media Day in Charlotte, Sumrall detailed the multi-faceted approach taken before bringing Retzlaff on board after his departure from BYU earlier this month.

“After doing our due diligence on the university’s side of things with everything around Jake, we got the green light to move forward," Sumrall said. 'Then you check to make sure that, academically, things are a fit and that worked. And then, the football component, you have to make a decision on. Felt like, when it presented, we vetted every angle of it. As we went through that process, it checked all the boxes, so let’s do this.”

Sumrall's prior relationship with Retzlaff played a role in his desire to bring him to Tulane. He had recruited Retzlaff out of Riverside Community College during his tenure at Troy in 2022. At that time, Troy was the quarterback's lone offer until BYU came in late, leading to Retzlaff’s eventual commitment to the Cougars.

“Jake had one offer out of Riverside Community College for a really long time and it was Troy,” Sumrall recalled. “We won our conference championship game at Troy that year, and two days later, I went on a flight to go see Jake. Then BYU came in, and proximity to home and other factors led him there.”

Sumrall expressed confidence in Retzlaff's ability to contribute to the Green Wave. “I don’t subscribe to the theory that less is more,” he said. “If we have an opportunity to add a capable player that can help us win, we’re going to do it.”

Retzlaff now joins a competitive quarterback room with three fellow transfers and will aim to secure the starting position when Tulane kicks off its season against Northwestern on August 30th.