.Max Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Significant 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV brought in a statement Sunday in its own very first game without past beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually heading to be simply fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 get Fresno State and also relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually an opponent in the Mountain West competition no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 gardens and represented four overall goals in his 1st beginning for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave behind the program on Wednesday over an issue concerning his NIL remuneration." It was business customarily," UNLV coach Barry Odom pointed out. "We have actually received a very mature group. ... Our gamers, our team have actually acquired strong leadership. They comprehend the mission that our experts get on and they obtained it done." Williams, a sixth-year senior as well as FCS transmission coming from Campbell, signed up with the Rebels in January and also shed a near competition along with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving as the plan's occupation leader in passing backyards as well as touchdowns, and also awaited his opportunity." I presumed he was effective, I presumed he was reliable," Odom claimed. "I thought the offensive line carried out a significant job shielding him. I thought the recipients ran great options. I believed the runners ran hard. Our experts participated in properly as an outburst." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 lawns as well as two goals and claimed the quarterback change was "certainly great for our team."" He's only a great quarterback that us, as an outburst, our experts can rally at the back of and also merely go by his speed," White said.After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is actually counted on to go into the transmission portal in December. Sluka's dad and agent have affirmed he was actually vocally promised $100,000 by UNLV annoying coordinator Brennan Marion in the course of his recruitment yet received merely $3,000 from the school's NIL aggregate. UNLV stated in a statement that Sluka's agents made monetary demands for him to maintain playing that it took "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play rules, in addition to Nevada state rule." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out coming from a prepared claim throughout his postgame news conference as well as did certainly not take concerns regarding Sluka. He claimed UNLV complied with applicable regulations and also is actually dedicated to the progression and also effectiveness of every gamer in the system." Numerous have actually expressed really tough point of views about the celebrations of recently without complete knowledge of the facts, without total understanding of the celebrations of recently as well as without complete expertise of the rules in the ever-changing, progressing NIL body," Odom claimed. "And sadly, some have actually also used this condition as a system for their personal schedules. I respect every person's right to a viewpoint, and also I will not discuss others' opinions or their inspirations for expressing all of them." White additionally possessed an information for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling enterprise revealed enthusiasm in giving $100,000 to maintain Sluka on the crew, saying to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that accomplishing this would certainly cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff really hopes active."" I will inquire that somebody communicate to the Circa chief executive officer as well as inquire him, keeping that $100,000 that he intended to give, give it to our O-line please," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak versus Fresno State as well as attained the system's initial 4-0 beginning since 1976 along with a sturdy day with all 3 stages of the activity. Their self defense produced four interceptions and also 4 sacks while making it possible for just 30 rushing gardens, and also their special teams supplied a shut out punting that White returned for a goal in the initial fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff return goal by Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The success always keeps UNLV in the race for the broadened 12-team College Regulation football Playoff and also ends a chaotic week for an athletic division that was actually simultaneously coping with the latest round of event adjustment in university athletics.UNLV officially decided to continue to be in the Mountain West on Thursday, refusing a move to the Pac-12 complying with that game's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition and Utah State for 2026. The 7 remaining institutions in the Hill West consented to a give of legal rights that are going to tie all of them to the event by means of 2031-32. After currently defeating Major 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV receives one more chance to remove an Electrical power 4 rival and strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people are going to flip the web page actually swiftly," Odom pointed out. "I could possibly say to in the storage locker room our company prepare to perform that and climb on to the next activity.".