.Max Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the Educational Institution of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV made a claim Saturday in its first activity without previous beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually heading to be actually simply fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 get Fresno Condition as well as transferring to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually a challenger in the Mountain West race despite its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, rushed for 119 backyards as well as represented four total goals in his initial beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave the system on Wednesday over an issue concerning his NIL remuneration." It was company as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom stated. "Our company've got an incredibly fully grown group. ... Our players, our company have actually acquired solid management. They know the mission that our experts get on and they received it performed." Williams, a sixth-year senior and FCS move coming from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and also shed a near competition with Sluka in loss camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving as the course's occupation innovator in passing yards as well as goals, as well as awaited his possibility." I assumed he worked, I presumed he was reliable," Odom claimed. "I presumed the offensive line carried out a remarkable task protecting him. I presumed the recipients operated fantastic courses. I presumed the runners ran hard. Our team participated in properly as an offense." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns and also claimed the quarterback change was actually "absolutely great for our team."" He is actually just a fantastic quarterback that us, as an outburst, we can move at the back of and also merely pass his speed," White said.After beginning 3 games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is actually anticipated to get in the transfer portal in December. Sluka's daddy as well as agent have actually alleged he was verbally assured $100,000 through UNLV annoying coordinator Brennan Marion during the course of his employment yet acquired simply $3,000 from the university's NIL cumulative. UNLV stated in a statement that Sluka's representatives made economic demands for him to maintain participating in that it took "a transgression of NCAA pay-for-play guidelines, and also Nevada condition legislation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out from a prepared claim in the course of his postgame news conference and also carried out certainly not take inquiries regarding Sluka. He claimed UNLV complied with appropriate regulations and also is committed to the progression as well as effectiveness of every player in the program." A lot of have revealed extremely strong viewpoints concerning the activities of last week without full expertise of the facts, without complete knowledge of the occasions of last week and also without full know-how of the regulation in the ever-changing, evolving NIL unit," Odom claimed. "As well as regrettably, some have actually also utilized this situation as a platform for their very own plans. I value every person's right to a point of view, and I will not talk about others' viewpoints or their incentives for expressing all of them." White additionally had an information for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site showed interest in using $100,000 to keep Sluka on the staff, telling the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this would certainly be worth it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff wishes active."" I would certainly inquire that someone reach out to the Circa CEO and ask him, with that said $100,000 that he desired to contribute, inflict our O-line satisfy," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch against Fresno Condition and achieved the plan's 1st 4-0 begin considering that 1976 along with a strong day in every 3 phases of the activity. Their self defense made four interceptions as well as 4 sacks while making it possible for only 30 rushing backyards, and also their special groups provided a shut out punting that White came back for a touchdown in the very first quarter plus a 90-yard first gain touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The triumph keeps UNLV in the competition for the broadened 12-team College Regulation football Playoff and also concludes a disorderly full week for a sports department that was simultaneously managing the current round of association realignment in university athletics.UNLV formally chose to stay in the Hill West on Thursday, turning down a move to the Pac-12 adhering to that league's addition of Boise Condition, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego Condition as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The seven continuing to be institutions in the Mountain range West accepted a give of civil liberties that will certainly tie them to the conference through 2031-32. After presently beating Big 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV receives another chance to take down an Energy 4 rival and also boost its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our fellas will certainly flip the web page really rapidly," Odom said. "I could inform in the storage locker space our team're ready to carry out that as well as climb on to the upcoming activity.".