.Maximum Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the University of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV created a statement Saturday in its 1st activity without previous beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually mosting likely to be only fine.Rolling to a leading 59-14 win over Fresno Condition as well as relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually a challenger in the Mountain West competition regardless of its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 backyards, rushed for 119 lawns and represented 4 overall touchdowns in his very first beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave the program on Wednesday over a dispute regarding his NIL settlement." It was organization customarily," UNLV train Barry Odom stated. "Our team've obtained an extremely fully grown team. ... Our gamers, our team've obtained powerful management. They comprehend the mission that our team perform and they received it performed." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and FCS transfer coming from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and also shed a close competitors along with Sluka in loss camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving behind as the program's job innovator in passing gardens and also touchdowns, and was ready for his option." I presumed he was effective, I believed he was effective," Odom mentioned. "I thought the annoying line carried out a significant job protecting him. I assumed the receivers ran great routes. I presumed the runners operated hard. Our team played effectively as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 lawns and also pair of touchdowns and also mentioned the quarterback change was actually "absolutely good for our team."" He is actually merely an excellent quarterback that our company, as an outburst, our experts may rally behind as well as just go by his speed," White said.After starting 3 ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt as well as is counted on to go into the move website in December. Sluka's dad as well as representative have affirmed he was verbally vowed $100,000 through UNLV objectionable organizer Brennan Marion during the course of his employment yet received only $3,000 coming from the college's NIL aggregate. UNLV pointed out in a statement that Sluka's reps made financial needs for him to keep participating in that it took "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play regulations, as well as Nevada condition regulation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom gone through from a well prepared statement throughout his postgame news conference as well as did not take concerns relating to Sluka. He stated UNLV observed suitable regulations and is devoted to the development and also results of every player in the program." A lot of have shared incredibly solid viewpoints regarding the events of last week without total understanding of the truths, without total expertise of the occasions of last week as well as without full know-how of the rules in the ever-changing, progressing NIL body," Odom said. "And also regrettably, some have actually also used this circumstance as a platform for their very own plans. I appreciate every person's right to a point of view, as well as I won't talk about others' point of views or even their inspirations for conveying all of them." White also had an information for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega gambling enterprise expressed rate of interest in giving $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the group, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing this would certainly deserve it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff hopes active."" I would certainly ask that somebody communicate to the Circa chief executive officer and also inquire him, with that $100,000 that he intended to give, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels broke a six-game losing streak versus Fresno State and also accomplished the course's first 4-0 start since 1976 along with a powerful time in all three phases of the activity. Their defense produced 4 interceptions as well as 4 sacks while allowing merely 30 hurrying gardens, and also their special staffs supplied an obstructed punt that White came back for a touchdown in the initial one-fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff profit touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The success keeps UNLV in the race for the expanded 12-team College Regulation football Playoff as well as concludes a disorderly week for an athletic division that was actually concurrently handling the current around of association adjustment in college athletics.UNLV formally chose to remain in the Hill West on Thursday, declining a relocate to the Pac-12 following that league's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado Condition, Fresno State, San Diego Condition as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The seven staying schools in the Mountain West accepted a grant of civil rights that are going to bind all of them to the conference with 2031-32. After already beating Major 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV obtains one more option to remove a Power 4 enemy as well as strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our guys will definitely flip the web page truly quickly," Odom pointed out. "I could possibly say to in the storage locker room our company prepare to carry out that and jump on to the next activity.".