.Maximum Olson, ESPN Workers 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 first game without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually mosting likely to be simply fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 win over Fresno Condition as well as relocating to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually an opponent in the Mountain range West race no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, hurried for 119 gardens and also accounted for four total touchdowns in his 1st begin for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave behind the course on Wednesday over a disagreement concerning his NIL settlement." It was actually business as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom claimed. "We've received a quite fully grown crew. ... Our gamers, our company have actually got powerful management. They comprehend the mission that our company perform and also they received it carried out." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and also FCS transactions from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January as well as shed a close competition with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving behind as the program's profession innovator in passing backyards and also touchdowns, and was ready for his opportunity." I presumed he was effective, I assumed he was actually reliable," Odom said. "I assumed the outrageous line performed a significant job protecting him. I believed the receivers operated terrific options. I presumed the joggers ran hard. Our experts played properly as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and also pair of touchdowns and said the quarterback modification was actually "undoubtedly good for our company."" He's merely a terrific quarterback that our team, as an offense, our company may rally at the back of and merely pass his rate," White said.After starting 3 ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and is actually expected to get in the transmission site in December. Sluka's father and representative have declared he was actually vocally guaranteed $100,000 by UNLV offensive planner Brennan Marion during his employment however acquired merely $3,000 coming from the institution's NIL cumulative. UNLV stated in a claim that Sluka's representatives created monetary requirements for him to maintain playing that it took "a violation of NCAA pay-for-play regulations, and also Nevada condition rule." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from a ready declaration in the course of his postgame news conference as well as performed not take concerns pertaining to Sluka. He mentioned UNLV followed applicable rules and also is actually dedicated to the growth and also excellence of every gamer in the course." Several have actually conveyed extremely powerful point of views about the celebrations of recently without full expertise of the simple facts, without total understanding of the celebrations of last week and also without total knowledge of the regulation in the ever-changing, growing NIL body," Odom said. "As well as unfortunately, some have also utilized this situation as a system for their personal agendas. I appreciate everyone's right to a viewpoint, and I will not talk about others' viewpoints or their incentives for sharing all of them." White also possessed an information for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site shared enthusiasm in delivering $100,000 to keep Sluka on the team, telling the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this would be worth it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff hopes alive."" I would certainly ask that somebody connect to the Circa CEO as well as ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he desired to give, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels snapped a six-game losing streak versus Fresno Condition and also obtained the course's 1st 4-0 start because 1976 along with a tough time in every 3 stages of the video game. Their defense produced four interceptions and 4 sacks while enabling only 30 rushing yards, and also their unique teams supplied a blocked punting that White returned for a goal in the 1st one-fourth plus a 90-yard first return touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The victory maintains UNLV in the competition for the broadened 12-team University Soccer Playoff and also wraps up a disorderly full week for an athletic division that was actually at the same time coping with the most recent sphere of event realignment in college athletics.UNLV formally chose to remain in the Mountain range West on Thursday, refusing a transfer to the Pac-12 complying with that game's add-on of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and also Utah Condition for 2026. The seven remaining institutions in the Mountain West accepted a grant of civil rights that will tie them to the event by means of 2031-32. After currently beating Big 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV acquires another chance to take down a Power 4 enemy and boost its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our men will turn the page truly promptly," Odom stated. "I might say to in the closet space our team're ready to accomplish that and also jump on to the next activity.".