QB Who Changed 5 Schools in 6 Years, Might Have to Transfer Again After Jake Retzlaff’s Tulane Move

Changing schools for better career opportunities can be a practice, until and unless it becomes a habit. The 6-foot-7, cannon-armed quarterback who seems destined to start for half the teams in college football before moving on to grad school. Right now, he is with the Tulane Green Wave, but don’t get too comfortable; he has spent more time unpacking in new dorm rooms than most coaches in their entire career. The QB’s career numbers read like those of a perennial starter, but with enough frequent-flier miles to qualify for platinum status.

In six years, TJ Finley has checked into five, yes, five different schools. After LSU, it was Auburn, then Texas State, a quick pit stop at Western Kentucky, and now, believe it or not, Tulane. During his time at Texas State in 2023, Finley shattered records with a hearty 3,439 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and just 8 picks. And led the Bobcats to the First Responder Bowl win (8-5). That year, he completed 67.4% of his passes. And he also finished 17th nationally in passing yards. At this point, Finley’s got the transfer portal on speed dial and may have unlocked the secret “bonus level” for NCAA logistical nightmares.

But just when you thought TJ Finley’s all-conference status as the NCAA’s best-known nomad couldn’t get any more colorful. Fate delivered a plot twist worthy of a Netflix sports docuseries. One minute you’re fighting for QB1, learning the Tulane fight song, and the next, campus cops are knocking because your new ride is a hot commodity. And not in the “sweet NIL deal” sense. According to reports, the situation unfolded when university police responded to a complaint about a vehicle obstructing a residential driveway near campus. Upon running the licence plate of the pickup truck in question, officers discovered it had been reported stolen. As officers investigated the scene, the individual who approached to move the vehicle was identified as Finley.

Finley told authorities he had recently purchased the truck through a social media marketplace and believed the transaction to be legitimate, complete with what he described as proper documentation. Unfortunately, three days after the deal, school police came knocking, and our hero got booked for $25,000+ worth of “illegal possession of stolen things.” College football’s most-traveled man now has another campus office to visit the courthouse, with a hearing set for June. Tulane immediately suspended Finley from all football activities, citing privacy laws while declining to elaborate. But they made it plain that no QB controversies while the legal system’s got first dibs.

Poor Coach Jon Sumrall, left to explain the whole spectacle to reporters, could only shrug, telling the media that off-field “mistakes” come with “accountability.” According to his lawyers, TJ was just the latest victim of a classic online scam. They insist he believed he’d hatched a simple car deal. Finley, who is now released on bail, is out to clear his name, hoping this episode wraps up before it cancels his last eligibility run. And the timing cannot be more perfect for Tulane. No sooner did Finley’s cleats hit the shelf, a comforting news for Coach Sumrall broke. Jake Retzlaff, BYU’s soon-to-be-former signal-caller, fresh out of his legal drama, was heading down South to New Orleans.

The QB switch no one saw coming

College football quarterbacks are notorious for taking some wild rides, but Jake Retzlaff’s transfer journey is much more complicated. Retzlaff comes to New Orleans with a suitcase in hand and a resume most programs would drool over. With 2947 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks last season, he led the Cougars to a fantastic 11-2 record. And also earned the folk-hero status with his ‘BYJew’ nickname and even an NIL deal with Manischewitz. But this Tulane chapter opens after Retzlaff’s off-field saga nearly overshadowed his highlight tape. His abrupt BYU exit followed a civil lawsuit accusing him of assault.

It is a claim Retzlaff flatly denied, insisting it was consensual. Both sides agreed to withdraw the suit before it ever landed in court. Still, in classic BYU manner, it wasn’t the legal violation but the school’s infamous Honor Code. Upon admitting to breaking that rule, Retzlaff got handed a seven-game suspension. Instead of waiting out half a season on the bench or sulking, he withdrew from BYU entirely and dropped a heartfelt Instagram post. He thanked Cougar Nation and turned the page.

Now, he’s a walk-on at Tulane, ready for his “fresh start.” The school did its due diligence, vetting him through Title IX, combing over the details. And then, finally, opening the gates for him to compete in a newly shaken-up QB room. On the other hand, Tulane’s roster needed a boost after losing its previous starter to the transfer portal. And with coach Jon Sumrall, who once recruited Retzlaff at Troy, there’s some instant chemistry in the play-calling department.