.Maximum Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Large 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV made a statement Sunday in its own very first game without previous starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are heading to be actually just fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 draw Fresno State as well as relocating to 4-0, UNLV showed it'll be a competitor in the Mountain West competition regardless of its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 gardens, rushed for 119 backyards and represented four complete goals in his first beginning for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave the program on Wednesday over an issue regarding his NIL remuneration." It was organization as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom stated. "We've got a very fully grown staff. ... Our gamers, our company've got powerful leadership. They recognize the mission that our experts get on and also they acquired it performed." Williams, a sixth-year senior and FCS transactions coming from Campbell, participated in the Rebels in January and also shed a close competition with Sluka in loss camping ground. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving as the course's occupation forerunner in passing yards and also touchdowns, as well as awaited his possibility." I assumed he was effective, I thought he was effective," Odom claimed. "I assumed the offensive line did a tremendous task protecting him. I presumed the receivers ran fantastic routes. I thought the runners ran hard. Our team participated in well as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 lawns and also 2 touchdowns and also claimed the quarterback change was actually "undoubtedly great for us."" He is actually just a terrific quarterback that our company, as an outburst, our team can move behind and simply pass his speed," White said.After beginning 3 games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt as well as is expected to get in the transfer portal in December. Sluka's papa and also agent have actually alleged he was verbally guaranteed $100,000 by UNLV objectionable organizer Brennan Marion during his employment however received merely $3,000 from the institution's NIL collective. UNLV claimed in a declaration that Sluka's reps made economic demands for him to always keep playing that it took "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play policies, and also Nevada state regulation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom checked out coming from a prepared declaration in the course of his postgame news conference as well as performed certainly not take inquiries relating to Sluka. He claimed UNLV observed suitable policies and is dedicated to the development and excellence of every gamer in the system." Many have revealed incredibly solid viewpoints about the occasions of recently without full know-how of the realities, without full expertise of the activities of recently as well as without total know-how of the regulation in the ever-changing, evolving NIL device," Odom stated. "As well as regrettably, some have even utilized this situation as a platform for their personal agendas. I appreciate every person's right to a point of view, and also I won't comment on others' point of views or even their motivations for expressing all of them." White additionally possessed a notification for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling enterprise shared rate of interest in providing $100,000 to maintain Sluka on the team, telling the Sin city Review-Journal that doing so would certainly cost it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff hopes active."" I would certainly ask that someone reach out to the Circa CEO as well as inquire him, with that $100,000 that he would like to contribute, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch against Fresno Condition as well as obtained the course's very first 4-0 begin because 1976 with a sturdy time in each three stages of the video game. Their self defense made 4 interceptions and also 4 sacks while permitting merely 30 rushing lawns, as well as their unique groups supplied an obstructed punting that White returned for a touchdown in the first one-fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff gain goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The success always keeps UNLV in the race for the broadened 12-team University Football Playoff as well as ends a turbulent full week for a sports department that was actually simultaneously taking care of the latest sphere of conference adjustment in university athletics.UNLV officially determined to stay in the Hill West on Thursday, rejecting a relocate to the Pac-12 following that league's addition of Boise State, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego Condition and Utah State for 2026. The 7 staying universities in the Mountain West accepted to a give of civil liberties that will bind them to the event through 2031-32. After actually defeating Large 12 participants Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV acquires another possibility to take down an Energy 4 challenger as well as enhance its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our men will definitely turn the webpage really rapidly," Odom claimed. "I can inform in the locker area our experts prepare to accomplish that and climb on to the upcoming video game.".