Former BYU QB, Jake Retzlaff, is supposed to enter Tulane’s opener against Northwestern on Aug. 30 with a new playbook and ambitions, surrounded by a new roster fam. But instead of excitement and pump, he enters the Green Wave trenches with grief heavy on his shoulders. He is dealing with a personal loss.

Retzlaff took to Instagram to post a story. He wrote, “RIP to the freakin best dog.” Along with that caption, he shared a beautiful collage, painted with sweet memories, leaving behind an aching void. In one frame, the two of them are cuddled up on the brown sofa, while another photo shows the cream-furred buddy, perhaps a Labrador, swimming across in the water, clutching a frisbee between his teeth.

Another black and white shot captured the beloved dog in a nostalgic side-pose, full of quiet charm. And the next picture? The dog was beaming with pure glee on a dirt road.

Losing a furry companion is painful; it keeps you fixated on those beautiful memories. But for Retzlaff, that happened right before a big game. It is not known if Retzlaff owned the dog or whether it was a family member’s or friend’s dog. Retzlaff also did not reveal the cause of death. Regardless of the loss, the QB will have to keep going.

After transferring from the BYU Cougars to his new turf at Tulane, he has to prove his mettle. “BYU was an amazing place,” said Retzlaff earlier this month. He is an ardent Jew and reminisces about his former alma mater. “It made me into an amazing human being. I feel like it helped me grow in so many ways on and especially off the field. It helped me connect stronger with my faith than I did before, because I was in a place where it was so faith-oriented that it was just right in front of you.”

Tulane is set to soon face Northwestern University at Yulman Stadium, and it will be historic for several reasons:

• Tulane is set to host a Big Ten team for the first time since 1955.
• HC Jon Sumrall could make history. He is 0-5 against Power Four opponents after losing to Ole Miss in 2022 and Kansas State the following year. And last season, after he took over Tulane, he lost to Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Florida. And so, if oddsmakers are right, the coach could himself make history this time.
• Additionally, the program is favored against a power-conference opponent for the first time this century.

Can Jake Retzlaff make it up to Tulane’s QB1?

Last season, Jake Retzlaff made some noise, steering from behind the centre, as he helped the BYU Cougars to a tight 18-15 victory against SMU. He passed for 202 yards and rushed for 35 against the Mustangs after sitting out the majority of his career. Overall, he concluded his season with more than a decent 2,947 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, leading BYU to an 11-win campaign. Not to forget the marquee bowl game win against the Colorado Buffs.

One would assume he would stay put with BYU, but some serious sexual assault allegations against him, which were later dismissed by the court, put an end to his time with the Cougars. But his fresh beginning at Tulane is not a cake walk. HC Jon Sumrall welcomed 60 new faces this off-season. His next aim? “I’m just worried about this next chapter, being at Tulane, winning football games,” he said earlier this month.

Retzlaff is not on a scholarship, but rather a walk-on player. The reason? He plays with a chip on his shoulder and does not want money to cloud his long-term goals. For him, it’s the ball that counts the most, with winning being his ultimate goal. Welcoming the heat, he has to battle with three other transfer QBs for the coveted QB1 position. Kadin Semonza from Ball State, Donovan Leary from Illinois, and Brendan Sullivan from Iowa. Not to forget the other QBs from last season’s 9-5 unit. So, the QB room is stacked.

Yes, he can be considered the most experienced QB in the locker room, but the challenges are not limited to outperforming others. It’s also about adapting to a new rulebook, a new offense, and most importantly, a factor completely out of his bounds: the oppressive heat of South Louisiana.

So, when is the final QB1 reveal? Well, Coach Sumrall clearly has some interesting plans for sure. “I will probably name a starter at 10:59 a.m. on game day (Northwestern) when we play at 11,” said the head coach. There you go. So, does he accept the challenge? “No matter what, this is a new chapter in my life,” Retzlaff said earlier this month. “I’m excited to attack it and make the most of it.”