.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 declaration Saturday in its 1st video game without previous starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually heading to be only fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 get Fresno Condition and also moving to 4-0, UNLV confirmed it'll be actually a contender in the Mountain range West competition no matter its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 lawns, hurried for 119 yards and also represented four complete goals in his 1st begin for the Rebels after Sluka decided to leave the course on Wednesday over an issue concerning his NIL remuneration." It was service as usual," UNLV train Barry Odom stated. "Our company have actually obtained an incredibly mature crew. ... Our gamers, we've got sturdy leadership. They understand the objective that our experts're on as well as they got it performed." Williams, a sixth-year senior and also FCS transactions from Campbell, signed up with the Rebels in January as well as shed a near competitors with Sluka in fall camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving behind as the program's career innovator in passing lawns as well as goals, and was ready for his chance." I believed he was effective, I presumed he was dependable," Odom said. "I presumed the outrageous line performed a tremendous work securing him. I thought the recipients ran terrific routes. I believed the joggers managed hard. Our experts participated in properly as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 catches for 127 backyards as well as pair of goals and also stated the quarterback change was "undoubtedly helpful for our company."" He's merely an excellent quarterback that our team, as an offense, our experts can move at the back of and also simply pass his pace," White said.After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka chose to redshirt and is anticipated to enter into the move gateway in December. Sluka's papa as well as representative have actually declared he was actually vocally guaranteed $100,000 through UNLV objectionable planner Brennan Marion during the course of his employment yet acquired just $3,000 coming from the college's NIL cumulative. UNLV pointed out in a claim that Sluka's representatives created monetary demands for him to maintain participating in that it interpreted as "an offense of NCAA pay-for-play policies, and also Nevada state law." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom reviewed coming from a ready claim in the course of his postgame press conference as well as did not take concerns pertaining to Sluka. He stated UNLV adhered to applicable guidelines as well as is dedicated to the progression and also effectiveness of every gamer in the system." A lot of have shown incredibly solid viewpoints concerning the activities of recently without complete know-how of the facts, without total know-how of the celebrations of recently as well as without full understanding of the rules in the ever-changing, advancing NIL system," Odom mentioned. "And also regrettably, some have actually also used this instance as a system for their own schedules. I value every person's right to an opinion, and I will not discuss others' point of views or their motivations for showing them." White additionally had an information for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling enterprise expressed interest in offering $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the staff, informing the Las Vegas Review-Journal that accomplishing this would certainly deserve it "to keep the Rebels' playoff really hopes to life."" I would certainly ask that a person connect to the Circa chief executive officer as well as ask him, with that $100,000 that he desired to donate, inflict our O-line please," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch versus Fresno State and accomplished the course's 1st 4-0 start considering that 1976 along with a strong day in every three stages of the video game. Their protection produced 4 interceptions as well as 4 sacks while enabling simply 30 hurrying yards, and also their unique groups delivered a blocked out punting that White returned for a touchdown in the very first quarter plus a 90-yard kickoff return touchdown through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The victory keeps UNLV in the competition for the expanded 12-team University Regulation football Playoff as well as ends a disorderly week for a sports team that was actually at the same time managing the most recent around of conference adjustment in college athletics.UNLV formally chose to stay in the Hill West on Thursday, rejecting a transfer to the Pac-12 adhering to that league's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego Condition and also Utah State for 2026. The 7 staying schools in the Mountain West agreed to a give of civil liberties that will definitely tie all of them to the event via 2031-32. After presently beating Significant 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets another possibility to remove a Power 4 opponent and reinforce its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people will definitely turn the web page actually rapidly," Odom pointed out. "I can say to in the closet space our team prepare to carry out that as well as hop on to the following video game.".