.Maximum Olson, ESPN Workers WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Significant 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV made a declaration Saturday in its initial video game without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually visiting be actually simply fine.Rolling to a dominant 59-14 sway Fresno State and also relocating to 4-0, UNLV proved it'll be an opponent in the Mountain West race no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns in his first beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave behind the system on Wednesday over a dispute about his NIL compensation." It was organization customarily," UNLV trainer Barry Odom claimed. "Our company've received a really mature group. ... Our players, our team've acquired tough leadership. They know the mission that our experts're on and also they acquired it carried out." Williams, a sixth-year senior and also FCS move from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and also lost a near competitors with Sluka in autumn camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 video games at Campbell, leaving as the course's career forerunner in passing yards as well as goals, and also awaited his possibility." I assumed he was effective, I believed he was reliable," Odom mentioned. "I thought the objectionable line performed a tremendous work defending him. I believed the recipients managed excellent paths. I thought the runners managed hard. Our experts played effectively as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards and also two goals and also said the quarterback change was actually "undoubtedly good for us."" He's only a terrific quarterback that our team, as an outburst, our experts may rally at the rear of and also merely go by his rate," White said.After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka chose to redshirt and is counted on to go into the transfer website in December. Sluka's father as well as agent have alleged he was vocally vowed $100,000 through UNLV offending coordinator Brennan Marion throughout his employment but acquired just $3,000 coming from the institution's NIL cumulative. UNLV pointed out in a claim that Sluka's agents made financial demands for him to maintain playing that it interpreted as "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play rules, as well as Nevada condition rule." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from a ready statement during the course of his postgame news conference and also carried out certainly not take concerns concerning Sluka. He claimed UNLV complied with applicable policies as well as is actually committed to the advancement and excellence of every player in the program." A lot of have actually shown quite sturdy opinions about the celebrations of last week without complete understanding of the simple facts, without total expertise of the events of last week and also without total expertise of the regulation in the ever-changing, developing NIL body," Odom stated. "And also regrettably, some have also used this condition as a system for their very own schedules. I value everyone's right to a viewpoint, and I will not comment on others' point of views or even their motivations for sharing all of them." White additionally possessed an information for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas casino site revealed interest in supplying $100,000 to maintain Sluka on the staff, telling the Sin city Review-Journal that doing this would certainly cost it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff really hopes active."" I would inquire that someone reach out to the Circa chief executive officer and also inquire him, with that said $100,000 that he wished to give away, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels broke a six-game losing streak against Fresno State and also obtained the program's first 4-0 beginning because 1976 with a powerful time in each 3 periods of the game. Their protection made four interceptions as well as four sacks while enabling just 30 hurrying backyards, as well as their special teams provided a shut out punt that White returned for a goal in the initial fourth plus a 90-yard first return touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The victory always keeps UNLV in the race for the expanded 12-team College Regulation football Playoff and also ends a disorderly week for an athletic division that was at the same time dealing with the current around of event adjustment in college athletics.UNLV formally determined to remain in the Hill West on Thursday, refusing a move to the Pac-12 adhering to that organization's addition of Boise State, Colorado Condition, Fresno State, San Diego Condition as well as Utah State for 2026. The 7 continuing to be colleges in the Mountain West consented to a grant of rights that will tie all of them to the association by means of 2031-32. After currently defeating Significant 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets one more possibility to take down an Energy 4 rival and strengthen its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our men will flip the page truly rapidly," Odom said. "I could possibly inform in the locker space we prepare to do that and get on to the next game.".