From the moment Jake Retzlaff was accused of sexual assault over a month ago, BYU was put in a seemingly no-win situation.
The allegations from Retzlaff's accuser were extremely concerning. Retzlaff's denial of the allegations were comprehensive and resolute. It didn't appear the civil case brought against him would be resolved before the the 2025 football season began and this ugly situation seemed to have no good outcomes.
The initial difficult decisions faced by BYU's leaders
BYU's administration faced a virtual no-win situation had nothing changed before the start of the 2025 football season. If Retzlaff's accuser continued with her claims and Retzlaff continued with his denials, this concerning situation would have loomed over flagship university of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all year.
Had Retzlaff played under these circumstances, the story would have potentially dominated headlines from now until the case was resolved. It was a highly-visible national story. Had Jake played through that scenario, the case against him would have dominated pre-game, post-game, and other coverage surrounding the BYU football team. The chants and signs from opposing fans would have been ugly.
The media would have swarmed like flies to honey in covering the protests and controversies that were sure to have followed the team all season.
Additionally, the decision to allow Jake to play based on what was initially known had the potential of making the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its leaders look unsympathetic to claims of sexual assault. They would have been accused of prioritizing winning football games over the high moral standards that are expected of BYU students and the Church as a whole. Critics of the university and it's sponsoring church would have sharpened their swords and struck ferociously until the matter was resolved, and then perhaps even after.
Had Jake played this year without providing any additional information about what may have occurred during that night in question, his presence on the team would have cast a long, uncomfortable, and very visible shadow over this football season, over Provo, and potentially over the Church as a whole.
Conversely, if BYU decided to suspend Jake based on the information that was initially known, that decision would have triggered its own wave of negative attention. BYU, and the Church by extension, could have been accused of being more concerned with public relations than the presumption of innocence.
Based on what was known at the beginning of this situation, the binary decision of Retzlaff playing or not playing seemed perilous regardless of what BYU's administration determined.
The best possible outcome
The reality was BYU's leadership needed more details before making an informed decision and then being in a position of strength in defending the course of action.
Fortunately, that information came when Retzlaff recently admitted to having what he claims to have been "a normal evening of consensual sexual interaction." The activities Jake publicly admitted to are not consistent with the honor code Retzlaff voluntarily agreed to live when enrolling at BYU.
Once this admission was public, the subsequent decisions made by BYU's administration once again took on a binary debate - either let him play the full season and focus on repentance and forgiveness, or suspend him for the full season and focus on policy enforcement and the natural consequences of his actions.
Either way, controversy would have followed Retzlaff, the university, and the Church for the foreseeable future.
By deciding on a seven-game suspension, BYU's administration got it exactly right.
BYU must enforce the honor code. Depending upon the severity of the violations, the school needs to find the right balance between helping students to do better while also protecting the experience of their roommates, friends, and classmates. The positive, uplifting atmosphere created on campus by students striving to live the honor code is what makes BYU unique. It's what drew me to attend BYU years ago and led to me thoroughly enjoying my experience in Provo. Students who voluntarily enroll at BYU also voluntarily agree to live the honor code and accept the consequences that may arise from violating it.
By suspending Jake Retzlaff for seven games while also providing a path for him to resume both his football career and his studies, BYU leaders seem to have threaded the needle of holding him accountable while also giving him a path forward, should he choose to walk it.
Jake Retzlaff's decision to transfer from the school is the best possible outcome for all involved.
Jake will presumably be able to play a full season somewhere else while also dealing with the serious civil charges he faces. In light of Retzlaff's public admission, BYU's leadership can show they both enforced the honor code while also providing Retzlaff with a path back to the playing field and continuing his studies. BYU's administration neither turned a blind eye nor did they cast Retzlaff out.
Jake Retzlaff's decision to not follow the honor code he voluntarily agreed to live was his choice. BYU's administration made the right decision in addressing the situation Retzlaff created with both justice and mercy. The decision to leave Provo was Retzlaff's own to make.
In the end, this is the best possible outcome for everyone involved.