‘Industry as typical’ for 4-0 UNLV without Sluka

LAS VEGAS — UNLV made an announcement Saturday in its first game without ragged initiating quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are going to be accurate perfect-making an are attempting.

Rolling to a dominant 59-14 fetch over Fresno Explain and titillating to 4-0, UNLV proved this would per chance per chance also be a contender within the Mountain West Conference speed no matter its quarterback alternate.

Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 yards and accounted for four whole touchdowns in his first originate for the Rebels after Sluka opted to depart this system Wednesday over a dispute about his NIL compensation.

“It used to be business as typical,” UNLV coach Barry Odom talked about. “We comprise obtained a genuinely veteran crew. … Our players, we have obtained solid leadership. They worth the mission that we’re on, they assuredly obtained it performed.”

Williams, a sixth-twelve months senior and FCS transfer from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and lost a end competition with Sluka in tumble camp. The 24-twelve months-light quarterback performed in 41 games at Campbell, leaving as this system’s profession chief in passing yards and touchdowns, and used to be ready for his opportunity.

“I believed he used to be effective. I believed he used to be ambiance friendly,” Odom talked about. “I believed the offensive line did a mammoth job defending him. I believed the receivers ran expansive routes. I believed the runners ran laborious. We performed effectively as an offense.”

UNLV broad receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns. He talked about the quarterback alternate used to be “positively fair for us.”

“He’s correct a expansive quarterback that us, as an offense, we are succesful of rally within the support of and accurate trip by his ride,” White talked about.

After initiating three games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and used to be anticipated to enter the transfer portal in December. Sluka’s father and agent comprise alleged he used to be verbally promised $100,000 by UNLV offensive coordinator Brennan Marion for the duration of his recruitment but received easiest $3,000 from the college’s NIL collective. UNLV talked about in an announcement that Sluka’s representatives made financial calls for for him to shield taking half in that it interpreted as “a violation of NCAA pay-for-play principles, as effectively as Nevada affirm laws.”

Odom read from an announcement for the duration of his postgame data convention and did no longer take questions in the case of Sluka. He talked about UNLV complied with applicable principles and used to be committed to the enchancment and success of every participant in this system.

“Many comprise expressed very solid opinions relating to the events of final week without fat data of the facts, without fat data of the events of final week and without fat data of the principles within the ever-changing, evolving NIL machine,” Odom talked about. “And regrettably, some comprise even vulnerable this circumstance as a platform for his or her comprise agendas. I admire all americans’s correct to an thought, and I’d no longer comment on others’ opinions or their motivations for expressing them.”

White also had a message for Circa Sports CEO Derek Stevens after the Las Vegas casino expressed curiosity in offering $100,000 to shield Sluka on the crew, telling the Las Vegas Evaluate-Journal that doing so might per chance well per chance well be worth it “to shield the Rebels’ playoff hopes alive.”

“I’d quiz of that anyone attain out to the Circa CEO and quiz of him, with that $100,000 that he desired to donate, give it to our O-line please,” White talked about.

The Rebels ended a six-game losing trudge towards Fresno Explain and carried out this system’s first 4-0 originate since 1976 with a solid day in all three phases of the game. Their protection produced four interceptions and 4 sacks whereas giving up easiest 30 speeding yards, and their particular groups delivered a blocked punt that White returned for a landing within the first quarter plus a 90-yard kickoff return landing by Jai’Den Thomas within the fourth quarter.

The victory kept UNLV within the speed for the expanded 12-crew College Football Playoff and concluded a chaotic week for an athletic department that used to be concurrently facing the most well-liked round of convention realignment in college athletics.

UNLV officially determined to live within the Mountain West on Thursday, turning down a trip to the Pac-12 following that league’s addition of Boise Explain, Colorado Explain, Fresno Explain, San Diego Explain and Utah Explain for 2026. The seven final faculties within the Mountain West agreed to a grant of rights that will bind them to the convention via 2031-32.

After already defeating Enormous 12 participants Houston and Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets one more opportunity to take down a Energy 4 opponent and enhance its CFP résumé when it hosts 3-1 Syracuse on Friday.

“Our guys will flip the web page genuinely snappy,” Odom talked about. “I’d also inform within the locker room we’re succesful of create that and procure on to the subsequent game.”