.Maximum Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the University of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV brought in a claim Sunday in its initial video game without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually visiting be actually simply fine.Rolling to a leading 59-14 gain Fresno Condition as well as transferring to 4-0, UNLV verified it'll be actually an opponent in the Mountain West race despite its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 backyards, rushed for 119 backyards and also represented 4 complete goals in his very first beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave behind the plan on Wednesday over a disagreement regarding his NIL remuneration." It was actually company customarily," UNLV coach Barry Odom said. "Our company've acquired a quite fully grown staff. ... Our players, we have actually got solid leadership. They know the goal that we perform as well as they received it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly as well as FCS transactions from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January as well as shed a near competition along with Sluka in fall camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 video games at Campbell, leaving as the plan's profession forerunner in passing gardens and also goals, and awaited his opportunity." I assumed he worked, I presumed he was actually reliable," Odom claimed. "I presumed the annoying line carried out a tremendous work safeguarding him. I thought the recipients operated fantastic options. I presumed the joggers operated hard. We played well as an outburst." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 gardens and also 2 touchdowns and claimed the quarterback change was actually "absolutely suitable for our team."" He is actually just a wonderful quarterback that our team, as an outburst, we may move at the back of and just go by his rate," White said.After starting three ready UNLV, Sluka decided to redshirt and is expected to enter into the transmission portal in December. Sluka's daddy as well as agent have actually alleged he was vocally vowed $100,000 through UNLV offending coordinator Brennan Marion during the course of his recruitment however got merely $3,000 coming from the university's NIL collective. UNLV stated in a declaration that Sluka's agents made monetary needs for him to maintain participating in that it interpreted as "an infraction of NCAA pay-for-play guidelines, in addition to Nevada state law." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom gone through coming from a ready statement during the course of his postgame press conference and did not take concerns concerning Sluka. He stated UNLV complied with relevant rules and also is actually committed to the advancement and also excellence of every gamer in the plan." Several have shared really sturdy opinions concerning the activities of last week without complete knowledge of the truths, without full understanding of the occasions of recently and also without total knowledge of the regulation in the ever-changing, progressing NIL unit," Odom pointed out. "And regrettably, some have actually even used this circumstance as a system for their personal plans. I value every person's right to a viewpoint, and also I won't comment on others' opinions or even their motivations for showing all of them." White likewise possessed a message for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling establishment expressed enthusiasm in delivering $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the crew, saying to the Sin city Review-Journal that doing so will cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff wishes alive."" I would inquire that a person connect to the Circa CEO as well as ask him, with that $100,000 that he intended to donate, give it to our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels broke a six-game losing touch against Fresno State and also attained the system's very first 4-0 begin given that 1976 along with a powerful time with all three periods of the video game. Their self defense created 4 interceptions and four sacks while allowing merely 30 rushing backyards, as well as their unique crews supplied a blocked punt that White returned for a goal in the first fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff profit goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The triumph maintains UNLV in the race for the broadened 12-team University Soccer Playoff and ends a chaotic week for an athletic division that was actually simultaneously handling the most recent round of association adjustment in university athletics.UNLV officially chose to stay in the Mountain West on Thursday, declining a relocate to the Pac-12 complying with that league's enhancement of Boise State, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and Utah Condition for 2026. The seven staying schools in the Mountain West accepted a give of legal rights that will certainly bind all of them to the association with 2031-32. After currently defeating Major 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV acquires another chance to take down an Energy 4 rival and also reinforce its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our fellas are going to flip the page really swiftly," Odom said. "I can say to in the closet area our company prepare to perform that and also get on to the next video game.".