.Maximum Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV created a statement Saturday in its own initial video game without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually heading to be just fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 win over Fresno Condition and moving to 4-0, UNLV proved it'll be actually a competitor in the Mountain West competition no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, rushed for 119 backyards as well as represented four overall goals in his very first begin for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave behind the system on Wednesday over a disagreement about his NIL payment." It was actually business as usual," UNLV trainer Barry Odom pointed out. "Our team have actually obtained a very mature staff. ... Our players, our experts've acquired strong management. They know the objective that we perform as well as they got it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and FCS transfer from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and lost a close competition along with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving as the course's profession leader in passing gardens and goals, and was ready for his option." I presumed he worked, I assumed he was actually effective," Odom said. "I presumed the offending line did a significant work securing him. I assumed the recipients ran fantastic courses. I thought the runners operated hard. Our experts played properly as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards as well as pair of goals and also stated the quarterback improvement was "certainly suitable for our team."" He's only a fantastic quarterback that our team, as an outburst, we can rally at the back of and only go by his pace," White said.After starting 3 games for UNLV, Sluka decided to redshirt as well as is anticipated to get into the move portal in December. Sluka's papa as well as broker have actually alleged he was actually vocally guaranteed $100,000 through UNLV offending planner Brennan Marion in the course of his employment yet received just $3,000 from the school's NIL aggregate. UNLV mentioned in a statement that Sluka's agents created monetary demands for him to always keep participating in that it took "an infraction of NCAA pay-for-play policies, and also Nevada state legislation." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out coming from a ready declaration during the course of his postgame news conference as well as performed certainly not take inquiries regarding Sluka. He claimed UNLV followed appropriate policies and also is actually committed to the progression and also results of every gamer in the program." Numerous have actually revealed incredibly powerful point of views regarding the events of last week without full understanding of the truths, without full expertise of the activities of last week and without total knowledge of the rules in the ever-changing, growing NIL device," Odom claimed. "And also regrettably, some have actually even utilized this situation as a platform for their own programs. I respect everybody's right to a point of view, and I won't comment on others' viewpoints or even their motivations for revealing them." White also had an information for Circa Sports Chief Executive Officer Derek Stevens after the Las vega online casino shared passion in providing $100,000 to keep Sluka on the crew, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing so would certainly cost it "to keep the Rebels' playoff wishes to life."" I would inquire that someone reach out to the Circa CEO as well as ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he would like to donate, give it to our O-line please," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak versus Fresno Condition and obtained the program's initial 4-0 start because 1976 with a powerful day in all 3 periods of the activity. Their defense generated four interceptions and four sacks while making it possible for simply 30 rushing lawns, and also their special groups delivered an obstructed punt that White came back for a goal in the very first fourth plus a 90-yard first return touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The triumph maintains UNLV in the competition for the expanded 12-team University Soccer Playoff and also wraps up a chaotic week for an athletic department that was actually all at once managing the most up to date round of conference realignment in university athletics.UNLV formally decided to stay in the Hill West on Thursday, rejecting a relocate to the Pac-12 following that organization's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The 7 remaining schools in the Hill West accepted a grant of legal rights that are going to bind all of them to the event via 2031-32. After presently defeating Huge 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV acquires one more possibility to remove an Energy 4 rival and enhance its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people will turn the web page really quickly," Odom mentioned. "I can inform in the closet space our experts're ready to perform that and also climb on to the next game.".