Who is Jake Retzlaff? What you need to know about BYU’s first starting Jewish QB

College football, year after year, has a tendency to deliver surprising storylines (and teams) during the first few weeks of the season.

And for the first third of the 2024 college football season, Jake Retzlaff and BYU were one of them.

The redshirt junior quarterback, the first Jewish starting quarterback in program history, has led the Cougars to four straight wins to open the season and a No. 22 spot in the recent American LBM Coaches Poll.

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After earning his first win over a ranked opponent last week at Kansas State, Retzlaff will get another chance to lead BYU to a win on the national stage this week when the Cougars take on Baylor in Week 5.

Here’s more on Retzlaff as the Cougars take on Baylor on Saturday:

Who is Jake Retzlaff?

Retzlaff is in his first season as BYU’s starting quarterback.

The Corona, California, native transferred to BYU from Riverside City College, which plays at the JUCO level of college football, before the 2023 season. As noted on his BYU profile page, Retzlaff threw for 4,596 yards and 44 touchdowns at Riverside City College in 2022 and posted six games of five or more touchdowns thrown.

Before attending Riverside City College, Retzlaff spent his freshman year at Golden West College in Huntington Beach, California. With the Rustlers, Retzlaff led Golden West to an 11-1 record, throwing for 3,302 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was listed as a three-star recruit and the No. 2 Juco quarterback in the transfer portal in 2022 by 247Sports.

Retzlaff saw action in four games last season at BYU, where he served as the Cougars’ backup quarterback for Kedon Slovis.

“There’s no other way to describe it other than I’m in the place where I’m supposed to be right now,” Retzlaff said when asked on BYU Football with Kalani Sitake in September about his path to BYU. “It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride, as you guys have seen. I’m grateful for every part of it though, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

In BYU’s Week 4 Big 12 win against No. 25 Kansas State, Retzlaff completed 15 of 21 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Through the first four weeks of the season, Retzlaff ranks fifth in the Big 12 in touchdowns (nine), sixth in passing yards (990) and 11th in completion percentage (62.7%).

Is Jake Retzlaff a Mormon? Explaining QB’s Jewish faith

No. Jake Retzlaff is not Mormon, but Jewish.

Last year, when Retzlaff took over for Slovis in Week 9 vs. West Virginia, Retzlaff became the first Jewish starting quarterback in BYU program history – one that is part of an institution founded and led by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter. saints day.

“Me and my two brothers were actually the only two Jewish athletes (in my town) growing up. I love being able to be a beacon and just inspire someone. If it’s one, then it’s enough” , Retzlaff recently said in an interview with CBS Sports. “Everything is so faith-oriented. You would think that everyone does their own thing, but the opposite is true. Everyone embraces every faith on campus.”

Jake Retzlaff stats

Here’s a look at Retzlaff’s stats at BYU:

2023: 63 of 125 (50.4%) passing for 648 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions; 51 carries for 116 rushing yards with three rushing touchdowns
2024: 72 of 115 (62.6%) passing for 990 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions; 28 carries for 103 rushing yards