.Max Olson, ESPN Staff WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Big 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the College of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV created a claim Sunday in its own 1st video game without past beginning quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are going to be just fine.Rolling to a leading 59-14 win over Fresno State and relocating to 4-0, UNLV verified it'll be a challenger in the Mountain range West race regardless of its quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 backyards, hurried for 119 backyards and represented four total touchdowns in his initial beginning for the Rebels after Sluka decided to leave the course on Wednesday over a dispute concerning his NIL settlement." It was company as usual," UNLV trainer Barry Odom said. "We've got an extremely mature group. ... Our gamers, our experts have actually received solid leadership. They comprehend the mission that our team perform as well as they acquired it carried out." Williams, a sixth-year elderly as well as FCS transactions from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January as well as lost a close competitors along with Sluka in autumn camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 video games at Campbell, leaving behind as the plan's career innovator in passing lawns and also touchdowns, as well as was ready for his chance." I presumed he worked, I thought he was actually dependable," Odom pointed out. "I thought the annoying line performed a significant task safeguarding him. I believed the receivers managed excellent paths. I assumed the distance runners operated hard. Our company participated in effectively as an outburst." UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 backyards and 2 touchdowns and claimed the quarterback change was "certainly helpful for our company."" He's just a terrific quarterback that our company, as an outburst, our team may move behind as well as simply go by his pace," White said.After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and also is actually expected to get into the transmission gateway in December. Sluka's dad and broker have alleged he was actually verbally vowed $100,000 by UNLV objectionable organizer Brennan Marion throughout his recruitment yet obtained only $3,000 coming from the university's NIL collective. UNLV mentioned in a claim that Sluka's reps created financial needs for him to keep participating in that it took "an infraction of NCAA pay-for-play regulations, in addition to Nevada state legislation." Publisher's Picks2 RelatedOdom read through from a ready claim throughout his postgame press conference and also performed certainly not take questions concerning Sluka. He mentioned UNLV followed appropriate rules as well as is devoted to the advancement as well as results of every player in the course." Lots of have actually shared quite solid opinions about the events of recently without complete understanding of the realities, without full understanding of the activities of last week and also without complete understanding of the rules in the ever-changing, evolving NIL body," Odom mentioned. "And regrettably, some have also utilized this circumstance as a system for their personal plans. I appreciate every person's right to a viewpoint, and also I will not comment on others' opinions or even their motivations for conveying all of them." White additionally had a notification for Circa Athletics Chief Executive Officer Derek Stevens after the Vegas gambling enterprise expressed passion in providing $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the crew, saying to the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this would certainly cost it "to keep the Rebels' playoff hopes to life."" I would certainly inquire that somebody reach out to the Circa CEO as well as inquire him, with that $100,000 that he would like to give, give it to our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels popped a six-game losing touch versus Fresno Condition as well as achieved the system's very first 4-0 start because 1976 along with a solid day in each three periods of the video game. Their protection produced four interceptions and also four sacks while making it possible for only 30 hurrying yards, as well as their exclusive groups delivered a blocked punting that White came back for a goal in the 1st quarter plus a 90-yard first yield goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The success keeps UNLV in the competition for the increased 12-team University Soccer Playoff as well as concludes a disorderly full week for a sports division that was actually concurrently taking care of the most recent sphere of event realignment in college athletics.UNLV formally determined to continue to be in the Mountain range West on Thursday, disapproving a move to the Pac-12 following that league's add-on of Boise Condition, Colorado State, Fresno Condition, San Diego State as well as Utah Condition for 2026. The 7 continuing to be universities in the Hill West consented to a give of civil liberties that will definitely bind them to the event by means of 2031-32. After already defeating Large 12 members Houston as well as Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV obtains another possibility to take down an Electrical power 4 enemy as well as enhance its own CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it throws 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our fellas will certainly turn the page really swiftly," Odom stated. "I might inform in the locker room our team're ready to carry out that and also hop on to the following activity.".