.Max Olson, ESPN Team WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS VEGAS-- UNLV made a declaration Sunday in its very first activity without past starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are actually heading to be merely fine.Rolling to a leading 59-14 sway Fresno State and transferring to 4-0, UNLV proved it'll be a challenger in the Hill West race despite its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams tossed for 182 backyards, rushed for 119 yards and made up four complete goals in his 1st start for the Rebels after Sluka decided to leave the plan on Wednesday over a dispute concerning his NIL remuneration." It was actually organization as usual," UNLV instructor Barry Odom said. "Our company have actually obtained a quite mature group. ... Our players, our team've acquired powerful management. They comprehend the goal that we're on and also they acquired it done." Williams, a sixth-year elderly as well as FCS transmission coming from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and also lost a near competition with Sluka in autumn camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving behind as the program's profession leader in passing lawns and touchdowns, and also was ready for his opportunity." I believed he was effective, I assumed he was actually efficient," Odom stated. "I believed the offending line performed an enormous project shielding him. I believed the receivers operated great courses. I presumed the joggers ran hard. Our experts participated in properly as an outburst." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards as well as 2 touchdowns and also claimed the quarterback change was actually "absolutely good for our team."" He is actually just a fantastic quarterback that our company, as an outburst, we may rally at the back of and merely go by his pace," White said.After starting three ready UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt as well as is actually counted on to get into the transfer portal in December. Sluka's dad as well as broker have affirmed he was actually verbally promised $100,000 through UNLV objectionable planner Brennan Marion during the course of his employment however obtained simply $3,000 coming from the college's NIL cumulative. UNLV said in a declaration that Sluka's reps made financial needs for him to maintain playing that it took "a transgression of NCAA pay-for-play rules, as well as Nevada state legislation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom read through from a ready declaration in the course of his postgame news conference and performed certainly not take questions pertaining to Sluka. He said UNLV complied with applicable guidelines as well as is devoted to the advancement and also excellence of every player in the program." Numerous have actually expressed very solid opinions about the occasions of last week without full know-how of the truths, without full know-how of the celebrations of recently and without complete expertise of the regulation in the ever-changing, advancing NIL device," Odom said. "And also unfortunately, some have actually also utilized this instance as a system for their very own agendas. I recognize every person's right to a point of view, as well as I won't talk about others' point of views or their motivations for sharing them." White additionally had a notification for Circa Athletics CEO Derek Stevens after the Vegas casino site expressed enthusiasm in using $100,000 to keep Sluka on the team, telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal that accomplishing this will cost it "to keep the Rebels' playoff hopes alive."" I would certainly inquire that someone reach out to the Circa CEO and also ask him, keeping that $100,000 that he wanted to give away, give it to our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing streak against Fresno Condition and obtained the program's very first 4-0 beginning because 1976 with a sturdy day in all three periods of the game. Their protection created 4 interceptions and also four sacks while permitting just 30 rushing gardens, as well as their unique staffs delivered a shut out punt that White came back for a goal in the first one-fourth plus a 90-yard kickoff return goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the 4th quarter.The success keeps UNLV in the competition for the expanded 12-team University Soccer Playoff and also concludes a turbulent week for an athletic team that was at the same time taking care of the latest around of event adjustment in college athletics.UNLV officially made a decision to stay in the Mountain West on Thursday, refusing a transfer to the Pac-12 adhering to that game's enhancement of Boise Condition, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and also Utah State for 2026. The 7 staying colleges in the Hill West agreed to a grant of rights that will certainly tie them to the conference by means of 2031-32. After presently defeating Big 12 members Houston and also Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV obtains one more opportunity to remove an Energy 4 challenger and boost its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it organizes 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our people will flip the web page really rapidly," Odom pointed out. "I might inform in the closet area our experts're ready to do that and also jump on to the upcoming game.".