.Maximum Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Significant 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the Educational Institution of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV brought in a statement Sunday in its first activity without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually mosting likely to be actually only fine.Rolling to a leading 59-14 win over Fresno State and also moving to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually a challenger in the Hill West race despite its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, hurried for 119 gardens as well as made up 4 overall goals in his 1st begin for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave the course on Wednesday over a conflict regarding his NIL compensation." It was organization customarily," UNLV trainer Barry Odom stated. "Our company have actually obtained an extremely mature staff. ... Our gamers, our company have actually got solid leadership. They understand the goal that our team perform as well as they acquired it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and also FCS transmission from Campbell, signed up with the Rebels in January as well as shed a close competition with Sluka in fall camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 video games at Campbell, leaving behind as the course's career forerunner in passing yards and also touchdowns, and also awaited his possibility." I presumed he was effective, I presumed he was actually efficient," Odom claimed. "I assumed the offending line did an enormous project protecting him. I believed the receivers ran excellent courses. I assumed the runners ran hard. Our team played effectively as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 lawns and pair of touchdowns as well as pointed out the quarterback improvement was "undoubtedly great for our company."" He's simply a fantastic quarterback that our company, as an outburst, we can rally at the rear of as well as just go by his rate," White said.After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka decided to redshirt and is counted on to enter the transmission portal in December. Sluka's papa as well as agent have alleged he was verbally assured $100,000 by UNLV repulsive planner Brennan Marion during his recruitment yet got only $3,000 from the school's NIL cumulative. UNLV stated in a statement that Sluka's reps created monetary requirements for him to always keep playing that it took "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play guidelines, as well as Nevada state legislation." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from an equipped declaration during the course of his postgame news conference and carried out certainly not take questions pertaining to Sluka. He mentioned UNLV observed appropriate guidelines and also is dedicated to the advancement and also excellence of every gamer in the course." Numerous have expressed really sturdy viewpoints regarding the occasions of last week without complete know-how of the truths, without full understanding of the events of last week and without total understanding of the regulation in the ever-changing, progressing NIL unit," Odom mentioned. "And also unfortunately, some have actually also utilized this situation as a system for their own programs. I respect everyone's right to a point of view, and I won't comment on others' viewpoints or even their motivations for sharing them." White additionally possessed a notification for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega gambling establishment conveyed enthusiasm in delivering $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the staff, informing the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing so would certainly deserve it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff hopes active."" I would talk to that somebody reach out to the Circa chief executive officer and inquire him, keeping that $100,000 that he would like to donate, give it to our O-line please," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch against Fresno Condition and also accomplished the plan's 1st 4-0 beginning because 1976 with a solid day in all three stages of the activity. Their protection generated 4 interceptions and also four sacks while making it possible for merely 30 rushing yards, and their special staffs provided a blocked punt that White returned for a touchdown in the initial fourth plus a 90-yard first return goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The triumph maintains UNLV in the competition for the increased 12-team University Regulation football Playoff and wraps up a chaotic week for an athletic department that was at the same time dealing with the current sphere of conference realignment in university athletics.UNLV formally decided to continue to be in the Mountain West on Thursday, rejecting a transfer to the Pac-12 adhering to that league's enhancement of Boise State, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition and also Utah State for 2026. The 7 continuing to be universities in the Hill West agreed to a give of legal rights that will bind all of them to the event through 2031-32. After actually defeating Huge 12 members Houston as well as Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV receives one more possibility to remove a Power 4 challenger as well as reinforce its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people will definitely flip the page truly promptly," Odom claimed. "I might inform in the locker space our company prepare to do that and also hop on to the next video game.".