.Maximum Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV made a statement Saturday in its 1st game without former beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are going to be merely fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 gain Fresno State as well as relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually an opponent in the Mountain West competition no matter its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 yards as well as represented four total touchdowns in his initial begin for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave behind the course on Wednesday over a disagreement about his NIL payment." It was actually business as usual," UNLV coach Barry Odom said. "Our team have actually received a quite fully grown team. ... Our players, we have actually got solid management. They recognize the goal that our experts get on and also they obtained it carried out." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and FCS move coming from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and also lost a close competition with Sluka in fall camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving behind as the program's profession leader in passing yards as well as goals, and also awaited his option." I presumed he was effective, I presumed he was actually effective," Odom mentioned. "I thought the outrageous line carried out an incredible job defending him. I assumed the receivers managed fantastic courses. I presumed the distance runners managed hard. Our team played effectively as an outburst." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns as well as said the quarterback change was actually "certainly good for our company."" He is actually just a wonderful quarterback that our company, as an offense, our company may move behind and also just go by his speed," White said.After starting 3 ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and is counted on to get into the move website in December. Sluka's daddy and also representative have actually declared he was actually verbally guaranteed $100,000 by UNLV repulsive planner Brennan Marion during his recruitment however got merely $3,000 from the school's NIL aggregate. UNLV mentioned in a claim that Sluka's reps created financial needs for him to keep playing that it took "an infraction of NCAA pay-for-play policies, and also Nevada condition legislation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from a ready claim during the course of his postgame press conference and also did not take questions relating to Sluka. He said UNLV abided by relevant guidelines and is actually dedicated to the progression and also success of every player in the plan." Many have actually conveyed extremely strong point of views regarding the activities of recently without full expertise of the facts, without complete knowledge of the events of recently as well as without total understanding of the rules in the ever-changing, evolving NIL body," Odom said. "As well as unfortunately, some have also used this situation as a platform for their very own agendas. I appreciate everybody's right to an opinion, as well as I will not comment on others' viewpoints or their inspirations for expressing them." White likewise possessed an information for Circa Athletics Chief Executive Officer Derek Stevens after the Las vega gambling establishment expressed enthusiasm in using $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the group, informing the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing so would cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff hopes alive."" I would certainly inquire that somebody reach out to the Circa CEO and also ask him, with that $100,000 that he wanted to donate, inflict our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch against Fresno Condition and also obtained the program's very first 4-0 beginning since 1976 with a sturdy day in every three periods of the game. Their self defense produced 4 interceptions and 4 sacks while permitting merely 30 rushing yards, and their unique teams supplied a shut out punt that White returned for a touchdown in the very first fourth plus a 90-yard first return goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The success keeps UNLV in the race for the extended 12-team College Soccer Playoff and concludes a turbulent full week for a sports division that was simultaneously coping with the current sphere of conference realignment in university athletics.UNLV officially decided to stay in the Mountain West on Thursday, refusing a relocate to the Pac-12 observing that league's enhancement of Boise Condition, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and Utah Condition for 2026. The seven staying institutions in the Hill West agreed to a give of liberties that are going to tie all of them to the association by means of 2031-32. After presently defeating Significant 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets another chance to remove an Energy 4 rival and also strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people are going to turn the webpage really swiftly," Odom said. "I can say to in the storage locker room our company prepare to do that and also jump on to the next activity.".