.Max Olson, ESPN Personnel WriterSep 28, 2024, 08:48 PM ETCloseCovers the Major 12Joined ESPN in 2012Graduate of the University of NebraskaLAS LAS VEGA-- UNLV made a declaration Sunday in its 1st video game without previous starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are visiting be merely fine.Rolling to a prevalent 59-14 win over Fresno State and also relocating to 4-0, UNLV showed it'll be an opponent in the Mountain West competition irrespective of its own quarterback change.Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 lawns, rushed for 119 backyards as well as accounted for four overall goals in his 1st beginning for the Rebels after Sluka chose to leave the program on Wednesday over an issue regarding his NIL payment." It was organization customarily," UNLV trainer Barry Odom pointed out. "Our company've acquired an incredibly fully grown crew. ... Our players, our company've obtained solid leadership. They know the objective that we perform and they got it done." Williams, a sixth-year elderly and also FCS transactions from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and also shed a close competitors with Sluka in loss camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 activities at Campbell, leaving behind as the plan's profession innovator in passing backyards as well as goals, and was ready for his chance." I believed he was effective, I presumed he was efficient," Odom stated. "I believed the outrageous line carried out a significant task shielding him. I presumed the recipients managed great courses. I thought the runners ran hard. Our team played properly as an offense." UNLV pass receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels along with a season-high 10 drawbacks for 127 lawns and also 2 goals and also stated the quarterback change was actually "most definitely good for our team."" He's merely a great quarterback that our team, as an outburst, our team can rally at the rear of and just go by his speed," White said.After starting 3 games for UNLV, Sluka decided to redshirt and also is actually expected to enter the transfer website in December. Sluka's daddy as well as agent have alleged he was verbally assured $100,000 through UNLV objectionable planner Brennan Marion during the course of his recruitment but obtained just $3,000 from the university's NIL cumulative. UNLV mentioned in a statement that Sluka's reps created monetary demands for him to always keep participating in that it interpreted as "a transgression of NCAA pay-for-play policies, along with Nevada state regulation." Editor's Picks2 RelatedOdom read coming from a prepared declaration in the course of his postgame press conference and performed certainly not take concerns concerning Sluka. He stated UNLV observed applicable regulations and is committed to the advancement and results of every gamer in the program." Lots of have actually expressed extremely powerful viewpoints about the celebrations of last week without total knowledge of the simple facts, without complete knowledge of the occasions of last week as well as without full expertise of the regulation in the ever-changing, developing NIL device," Odom mentioned. "And also regrettably, some have even used this circumstance as a platform for their very own plans. I respect everybody's right to an opinion, as well as I won't comment on others' opinions or even their inspirations for revealing all of them." White also possessed a message for Circa Sports Chief Executive Officer Derek Stevens after the Las vega casino site showed rate of interest in offering $100,000 to always keep Sluka on the staff, informing the Sin city Review-Journal that accomplishing this will deserve it "to always keep the Rebels' playoff really hopes to life."" I will ask that a person connect to the Circa chief executive officer as well as inquire him, keeping that $100,000 that he wanted to give, inflict our O-line feel free to," White said.The Rebels broke a six-game losing touch against Fresno Condition and also attained the system's very first 4-0 start considering that 1976 along with a sturdy time in each 3 phases of the activity. Their self defense created four interceptions and also 4 sacks while permitting merely 30 rushing lawns, and their exclusive staffs supplied a blocked punt that White returned for a goal in the 1st quarter plus a 90-yard kickoff profit goal through Jai'Den Thomas in the fourth quarter.The victory keeps UNLV in the competition for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and ends a chaotic week for a sports department that was concurrently managing the most up to date round of association realignment in college athletics.UNLV formally made a decision to remain in the Mountain West on Thursday, declining a move to the Pac-12 adhering to that organization's addition of Boise State, Colorado Condition, Fresno Condition, San Diego State and Utah State for 2026. The seven staying institutions in the Mountain West accepted a give of civil rights that are going to bind them to the event by means of 2031-32. After already beating Major 12 participants Houston and Kansas in nonconference play, UNLV gets one more chance to take down an Electrical power 4 enemy and also reinforce its CFP ru00e9sumu00e9 when it holds 3-1 Syracuse on Friday." Our men will definitely flip the web page actually promptly," Odom pointed out. "I might tell in the closet room our team prepare to accomplish that as well as hop on to the upcoming game.".