.Max Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Significant 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the University of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV brought in a declaration Sunday in its own 1st activity without former beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are heading to be actually only fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 get Fresno State and also moving to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be an opponent in the Mountain West race no matter its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 lawns, hurried for 119 backyards as well as accounted for four overall goals in his 1st begin for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave behind the program on Wednesday over a dispute about his NIL compensation." It was organization customarily," UNLV coach Barry Odom mentioned. "Our company've got an extremely fully grown group. ... Our gamers, our company've obtained powerful management. They comprehend the mission that we're on and they got it performed." Williams, a sixth-year senior and also FCS transfer from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and dropped a near competitors along with Sluka in autumn camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving behind as the course's profession leader in passing yards and also goals, as well as was ready for his possibility." I believed he worked, I believed he was reliable," Odom mentioned. "I presumed the annoying line carried out an incredible job shielding him. I assumed the receivers managed great options. I thought the joggers managed hard. We played well as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards and also two touchdowns and also pointed out the quarterback improvement was actually "most definitely great for our team."" He is actually merely an excellent quarterback that our team, as an offense, we may rally at the back of as well as just pass his rate," White said.After starting 3 games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt as well as is actually counted on to enter the transactions site in December. Sluka's papa as well as representative have alleged he was verbally assured $100,000 through UNLV outrageous planner Brennan Marion during the course of his employment yet received merely $3,000 coming from the school's NIL cumulative. UNLV pointed out in a claim that Sluka's representatives created financial needs for him to always keep participating in that it interpreted as "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play regulations, as well as Nevada state law." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out coming from an equipped claim throughout his postgame news conference and also carried out not take questions relating to Sluka. He stated UNLV observed relevant regulations as well as is actually dedicated to the advancement as well as effectiveness of every gamer in the system." Numerous have revealed really powerful viewpoints regarding the events of recently without complete expertise of the facts, without full know-how of the activities of recently and also without total know-how of the regulation in the ever-changing, evolving NIL system," Odom mentioned. "As well as sadly, some have also utilized this situation as a platform for their very own plans. I value every person's right to an opinion, and I will not discuss others' point of views or even their motivations for conveying all of them." White likewise possessed a notification for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site shared interest in using $100,000 to maintain Sluka on the team, saying to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that doing this will cost it "to maintain the Rebels' playoff really hopes to life."" I will talk to that someone connect to the Circa CEO as well as ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he would like to give, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak against Fresno Condition and also obtained the program's 1st 4-0 start considering that 1976 along with a solid time in each three stages of the game. Their protection generated 4 interceptions as well as four sacks while permitting just 30 hurrying backyards, and their unique groups supplied an obstructed punt that White returned for a goal in the 1st quarter plus a 90-yard kickoff profit goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The victory always keeps UNLV in the race for the grown 12-team College Football Playoff as well as wraps up a disorderly week for a sports department that was actually at the same time managing the most recent around of conference adjustment in college athletics.UNLV officially chose to remain in the Mountain range West on Thursday, rejecting a relocate to the Pac-12 adhering to that league's enhancement of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego State as well as Utah State for 2026. The 7 remaining schools in the Hill West consented to a grant of liberties that will definitely tie them to the event through 2031-32. After currently beating Large 12 members Houston and Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV acquires one more chance to remove an Energy 4 opponent and also strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our individuals will turn the page truly promptly," Odom pointed out. "I can tell in the storage locker space we prepare to perform that as well as get on to the next activity.".