.Max Olson, ESPN Workers WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Huge 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV created a claim Saturday in its own 1st activity without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are heading to be actually simply fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 gain Fresno State and also moving to 4-0, UNLV verified it'll be actually a contender in the Mountain range West competition despite its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, rushed for 119 backyards and accounted for 4 total goals in his initial beginning for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave behind the program on Wednesday over an issue regarding his NIL remuneration." It was actually organization as usual," UNLV trainer Barry Odom claimed. "Our team have actually received a very fully grown crew. ... Our players, our company have actually acquired solid management. They know the goal that our experts perform as well as they acquired it carried out." Williams, a sixth-year elderly as well as FCS transmission from Campbell, signed up with the Rebels in January as well as dropped a near competitors along with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving behind as the plan's career leader in passing lawns and touchdowns, as well as was ready for his opportunity." I assumed he worked, I presumed he was actually efficient," Odom pointed out. "I presumed the repulsive line carried out an enormous job shielding him. I assumed the recipients ran great routes. I believed the distance runners operated hard. Our company played well as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and two goals and also said the quarterback change was "undoubtedly great for our team."" He's simply a terrific quarterback that our company, as an outburst, we can move at the rear of and also only go by his speed," White said.After beginning three games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is actually expected to enter into the transfer portal in December. Sluka's dad as well as representative have actually affirmed he was verbally guaranteed $100,000 through UNLV outrageous organizer Brennan Marion during the course of his recruitment yet obtained simply $3,000 coming from the university's NIL cumulative. UNLV claimed in a statement that Sluka's representatives created monetary requirements for him to keep playing that it took "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play rules, and also Nevada state rule." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom gone through coming from a prepared statement during the course of his postgame news conference as well as did certainly not take concerns pertaining to Sluka. He claimed UNLV observed applicable guidelines and is actually committed to the progression as well as effectiveness of every player in the system." Several have revealed really sturdy point of views regarding the events of recently without total knowledge of the simple facts, without complete understanding of the events of recently and also without total know-how of the rules in the ever-changing, evolving NIL body," Odom stated. "And unfortunately, some have also used this scenario as a platform for their own agendas. I appreciate everyone's right to an opinion, as well as I won't talk about others' viewpoints or even their incentives for conveying all of them." White likewise possessed a message for Circa Athletics Chief Executive Officer Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling establishment showed rate of interest in supplying $100,000 to maintain Sluka on the team, telling the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this would be worth it "to keep the Rebels' playoff hopes to life."" I would inquire that a person communicate to the Circa chief executive officer and also ask him, with that said $100,000 that he desired to donate, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing streak versus Fresno State as well as achieved the plan's very first 4-0 beginning considering that 1976 along with a strong time in every 3 phases of the game. Their defense produced 4 interceptions as well as four sacks while enabling merely 30 hurrying gardens, and their unique staffs delivered an obstructed punt that White came back for a touchdown in the 1st fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff gain goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The success keeps UNLV in the race for the grown 12-team College Football Playoff and also ends a turbulent full week for an athletic division that was actually at the same time taking care of the current sphere of association realignment in university athletics.UNLV officially made a decision to stay in the Hill West on Thursday, declining a move to the Pac-12 following that game's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The 7 continuing to be universities in the Mountain West accepted a grant of rights that will definitely bind all of them to the conference by means of 2031-32. After actually defeating Significant 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets another possibility to remove an Energy 4 challenger and boost its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our individuals will definitely turn the webpage truly promptly," Odom claimed. "I might inform in the storage locker room our team're ready to accomplish that as well as climb on to the following activity.".